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myficsTitle: Love is Not a Weakness
Rating: NC-17.
Pairing: Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Bill/Fleur, casual mentions of Lupin/Tonks.
Warnings: HBP ship spoilers.
Word Count: 4,568.
Summary: At the end of last term, Ron and Hermione finally confessed their feelings to each other. Ron has been waiting all summer to see her. But the more time they spend apart, the more Hermione becomes convinced that they should take a page out of Harry’s book. Ron and Ginny spend most of their days in their rooms, depressed and angry. Now that Hermione and Harry are arriving for Fleur and Bill’s wedding, the Weasleys are determined to prove to their partners that love is not a weakness.
Disclaimer: If I were JK Rowling and I stood to gain another bazillion dollars just for finishing my next book, do you honestly think I’d be wasting my time posting pervy fanfiction on the internet? Absolutely not. Therefore, we must conclude that I am, in fact, NOT JK Rowling. These characters belong to her, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Arthur Levine Books, and Warner Brothers. I am just borrowing them for a while to writeporn er, I mean, to write good, clean, wholesome literature. Oh, pits. Who am I kidding?
Notes: When a die-hard slasher spends her time writing hetsmut instead of editing her slash fic, there is clearly something wrong with the world. I blame it on the damn heat around here. Anyway, this follows canon pretty much, just talks about a scene that er, got “deleted” from HBP. But yeah, it’s pretty much canon-compliant. So obviously, HBP spoilers. You’ve been warned, ‘kay?
LOVE IS NOT A WEAKNESS
Ron was sitting at the kitchen table talking to his mum when Ginny came downstairs for breakfast.
“Morning,” she said cheerfully, but Ron could tell she’d been crying.
Ron opened his mouth to respond, but his mum cut him off by pointing out the window and saying, “Look, the post.”
Two owls were flying to the window; Hedwig and Errol. Ron jumped up and pulled the window open quickly so that Errol wouldn’t fly into it. After landing, Errol swayed for a moment, then fell over into the bowl of cereal that Ginny had just poured for herself. Hedwig held her leg out between Ron and Ginny and both reached to take the letter. Hedwig hooted angrily at Ginny and hopped closer to Ron, allowing him to take the letter. Ron looked up, their eyes met, and she choked back a sob and ran upstairs. They heard the door slam a moment later, and Ron turned to his mum, silently asking, “What now?” She closed her eyes for a moment, pinched the bridge of her nose, and sighed.
“I love Harry, of course, but right now, I could kill him,” she said.
“I know,” Ron sat down, still holding the letter.
“What did he write?” she asked.
Ron opened the letter and started to read.
Ron,
I know I’m probably not your family’s favorite person right now. Hermione wrote to me to tell me the things that Ginny has been saying in her letters to her. Look, I’m really sorry. I only did what I did because I care about her. And…if we both survive this war, then I definitely want to get back together with her (if she’ll have me after all this), but right now, it’s just not safe.
Anyway, I was writing to tell you that I’m arriving for Bill’s wedding on Sunday. Tonks and Lupin are escorting me since they’re coming to the ceremony, too. We’ll be arriving at about 1 o’clock.
Hope you’ve been having a good summer.
Harry
“We know why he did it,” Molly sighed. “And we accept that he had to. We just don’t like it!”
“Mum, he wouldn’t do it if he didn’t have to.”
“I know, dear. I’m not mad at him. Of course he had to do this. I’m mad at…everyone, I guess. At the world for putting him through this. For putting you and Ginny through this.”
Ron had only seen his mother cry twice before, and both of those times had been at funerals. But he distinctly saw a tear on her cheek and heard her sniffle.
“Mum…it’ll be okay. Ginny…she’ll get over this. You know how she goes through boyfriends,” he said.
“This is different!” Molly said, gasping as though he’d just said a dirty word. “This is Harry. She…she’s loved him since she was 12. You know that.”
Ron nodded and looked at the letter tied to Errol’s leg. He’d forgotten about it in upset. He reached over and untied the letter and then poked Errol with his pinky. To his relief, the bird moved a bit. He turned over the letter and saw Hermione’s writing on it.
“I’m going to go up to my room,” he told his mum, still staring at her writing.
He went up the stairs to his room and settled himself down on his bed and opened the letter.
Ron,
Hello. How have you been? Everything has been crazy here. I’ve explained about Voldemort—quit shuddering, Ron. You’ll have to say his name eventually—to my parents and they’ve been having kittens over it. They don’t want me to come to the Burrow, but I’ve got my Apparition test now, so I’m still coming for the wedding!
How’s Ginny? I know, obviously, from her letters, but I mean how is she acting in front of everyone? She said she rarely comes out of her room. I feel so sorry for her. I wish there was something we could do to help, but I think that at least for now, Harry made the right choice.
Ron, listen, there’s something I need to say, and I don’t know if I’ll have the bollocks to say it to your face. After everything that happened last year…and everything that we’re about to do…I’m not sure if…that thing we talked about is such a good idea. I know how I feel, and I know what you said, and it was wonderful, Ron, to finally say those things out loud. But…maybe Harry has the right idea. Don’t you think? It’s best not to give Voldemort any more weapons than he already possesses, right? Oh, Ron, I’m really sorry. I wish things were different. We just have to be strong, right?
Oh, I’m so sorry. I wish it didn’t have to be this way. Well…I guess I’ll see you on Saturday, then.
Love,
Hermione
Ron sat staring at the parchment not really seeing it. He couldn’t believe it. They hadn’t even gone out properly yet and she was breaking up with him. Stupid Harry and his stupid ideas. What was he thinking, breaking up with Ginny? Didn’t he know what would happen? Now Hermione had gone and done the same thing. He almost growled in anger before crumpling the letter up and tossing it in the bin. He sat there fuming for a few minutes before he heard a soft knock at his door.
“Yeah?” he called.
Ginny opened it and edged into the room.
“What’d it say?” she asked quietly.
“Just explaining why he did it,” Ron said, not looking at her.
He didn’t know how, but he knew she nodded. He could picture her face because it was the same one she’d been wearing since they’d gotten home at the end of term. She had held up bravely on the train ride home, never letting on how sad she was. She smiled and laughed as though nothing were wrong, and then as soon as they’d gotten home, she’d locked herself in her room and cried herself silly.
“Anything new?”
“No. Same old bullshit.”
“You didn’t think it was bullshit a week ago,” she said suddenly. “You were quite supportive of the idea.”
“Hermione just broke up with me for the same reasons.”
“Oh.”
“Fucking bastard,” Ron muttered.
“Yeah, he is.”
“I mean…God, I feel so stupid now, you know?” Ron paused then continued, but Ginny was speaking in unison with him, as though reading his mind. “Saying all those things to her, admitting how I felt. Loving her. Telling her that she made my life worth living.”
He raised a brow at her. “Yeah. How’d you know?”
“It’s been going through my mind all summer.”
Through the crack in the door from where Ginny had entered, they watched as Bill and Fleur walked happily up the stairs, holding hands and grinning.
“Makes you sick, doesn’t it?” she asked.
“Yeah, it does.”
“And not just because it’s Phlegm.”
He shook his head.
“When is he coming?”
“Sunday.”
“And what about Hermione?”
“Saturday.”
“Well, that gives you three days to mope before you have to act like a human being again,” she said, a faint trace of smile on her face.
“What do you do to deal with it?”
“Cry.”
“And?”
“That’s it. I just sit in there and cry.”
“I don’t think that’s going to work for me.”
“Probably not.” She stood and put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly before heading for the door. She paused at the doorway and turned back to him. “If you ever…want someone to cry with, I’m in my room.” She left, pulling the door shut softly behind her.
~*~
Ron and Ginny spent most of the next few days avoiding Bill and Fleur. Bill constantly wanted to make adjustments on Ron’s groomsmen’s robes, and Fleur was always fussing over Ginny’s bridesmaids’ dress. She was never satisfied with the way it looked with her hair and threw numerous fits, insisting that she be allowed to charm Ginny’s hair a different color, just for the day.
As much as he didn’t want it to, Saturday arrived and he knew he had to face Hermione. At exactly 12:30, there was a popping noise in the yard followed by a knock at the door. Ron went to open it, but his dad stopped him. “Ask her the question, Ron!”
Ron sighed and said, “Hermione, what is your favorite book?”
“Well, it’s really hard to choose--”
“Just tell me the answer!” he said exasperatedly.
“Right. It’s Hogwarts, a History. Do I have to ask you yours?”
Ron glanced back at his parents, who were sitting at the table, staring at him.
“Uh…well,” he gulped, “it’s probably best that I didn’t answer it. My parents are right here,” he whispered.
“Oh,” Hermione said, and sounded like she was stifling a giggle.
“Now, Ron, it’s procedure! We have to set an example!” Arthur said. He then raised his voice so that Hermione could hear it outside and said, “Go on, dear, ask him.”
Hermione laughed again and asked, “Ron…do the freckles…” she paused and giggled some more, then finished, “…go all the way down?”
Ron blushed a thousand different shades of magenta and muttered, “You know they do.”
He pulled the door open and saw her standing there, a hand over her mouth, suppressing her laughter. All he wanted to do was grab her and kiss her, but he couldn’t. “Come on, come on, then,” he said gruffly, ushering her into the house. “You’re staying in Percy’s old room,” he said.
She nodded and walked past him, waving at his parents. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,” she said brightly before heading up the stairs. Ron made to follow her but his parents stopped him.
“Ron, get back here!” Molly shouted.
Ron walked back into the room and stood in front of them.
“Yeah?” he asked.
“What was that about?” she asked.
“What was what?”
“How does she ‘know they do?’ Is there something you need to tell us?”
“It’s not what you think,” he said, and blushed again.
“Ron, there’s no need to lie,” Arthur said.
“I’m not…really. It’s just…last year she walked in on me in the Prefect’s bath. That’s all.”
Molly raised an eyebrow, but Arthur said, “Now dear, if Ron says that’s what happened, then that’s what happened.”
Ron thought his mum didn’t look as though she believed him, but she let him go on upstairs without further questions.
Ron knocked on the door of Percy’s old room.
“Come in,” Hermione said.
He entered to find her sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at her hands. He sat down next to her and watched intently as she intertwined her fingers as though all the answers to the world were written on those hands.
“I just had to explain to my mum and dad about last year,” he said.
She looked up suddenly and laughed. “No!”
“Yeah. They wanted to know how you knew about my freckles. They seem to think that uh…we’ve…” he trailed off, not needing to continue.
“If only they knew just how close they were, huh?” Hermione asked. “I mean we almost did and…we were going to when I got here…”
“We still can,” Ron whispered and licked his lips, leaning over slowly until his lips were almost touching hers. “We can forget you ever wrote that letter.”
For a brief moment, Ron thought she might give in. Then she put her hands on his chest and pushed him back slightly. “No. No, we can’t. We mustn’t.”
“Hermione!” Ron said angrily, pulling back and staring at their reflection in the mirror across from the bed. It was much easier to talk to the Mirror Hermione than it was to face the real thing. “Look, I know what you think, but…this is different! We’re different. I’m not Harry and I haven’t got You-Know-Who after my bloody arse.”
“He’s after everyone,” Hermione said simply.
Ron stared at her reflection in the mirror, watching her face contort as she fought back tears.
“Hermione…at war times, people rush into decisions that they normally wouldn’t make and…”
“Exactly,” she said. “Don’t you think that’s what we did, back in June? When we…when we said all those things? When…when I did that?”
Ron stared coldly at the real Hermione this time and said in a harsh voice. “I meant all those things I said. I don’t know about you, but I meant them and I would’ve said them, war or no war. Because it’s the truth, Hermione. And deep down, you know it, too.”
He got up and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
~*~
On Sunday, Harry arrived with Lupin and Tonks. They were all already in their wedding attire. Lupin and Tonks were holding hands and kissing each other lightly on the lips, but the look on Harry’s face said that they had been doing slightly more than that the whole trip over.
“Disgusting,” he said under his breath to Ron as he entered the Burrow. Ron laughed, but it was a hollow sound that felt foreign.
Ginny was sitting at the table sipping a cup of tea, already in her bridesmaid dress, talking to Hermione quietly.
“Er, hi, Ginny,” Harry said awkwardly.
Ron saw her eyes snap open wide, seemingly frozen for a moment. A look of panic crossed her face, followed quickly by a calm smile. “Hi, Harry,” she said, turning to face him. “Nice to see you.” She set the cup down and stood up. “Well, if you’ll excuse us, Ron and I have to go get ready for the ceremony. Phlegm is in an uproar that mine and Gabrielle’s dresses are two shades of blue different from each other.”
She took Ron’s arm and led him out into the backyard, letting out a shuddering breath as soon as they were out of earshot.
“You did good,” he said.
“Had lots of practice, haven’t I?” she said sadly.
“Guess you have.”
“Oh, Ginny!” Fleur said, running up to them both. “Your dress! It iz not ze right color! Oh, that stupid seamstress!” With that, she pulled poor Ginny off to a tent that had been set up for the girls to get ready in. Across the yard, Bill motioned for Ron to join him, Charlie, and the twins.
“So, little brother, sorry you had to miss the bachelor party last night,” Fred grinned.
Ron just shrugged.
“All right,” Bill cut in. “So, it’s going to be Charlie next to me, then Fred, George, and then you.”
Ron nodded, looking across the yard. Hermione had just emerged from the house, having changed into her dress for the wedding. It was pale green and shimmered in the sunlight. His eyes followed her from the back door to the arch where she stood, talking with Lupin, whose arm seemed permanently attached to Tonks’ waist.
“Ron…Ron, are you listening?” Bill asked, snapping his fingers in front of Ron’s face.
“Oh, I see what the problem is,” Fred said, following Ron’s eyes and guessing correctly that he was staring at Hermione. “Ickle Ronnikins can’t seem to take his eyes off of Hermione.”
“Huh?” Ron asked, snapping back to the present.
“We were just commenting that the two of you need to get a room and shag already,” George said bluntly.
Ron sputtered indignantly for a moment before realizing that that was precisely what he wanted to do.
“Leave poor Ronnie alone,” Charlie said, thumping Ron on the back.
“Thank you,” Ron said.
“Yeah, he’s a little upset right now because he’s so in love.”
“So what if I am?” Ron said challengingly.
“Woah, woah. Calm down there, bro,” Bill said. “We can answer the whole ‘will they/won’t they’ question later. Right now, it’s time for my wedding.”
The five of them trooped up to the front of the yard as everyone took their seats. To Ron’s dismay, Hermione took a seat directly within his eye-line.
On the other side of the arch, Ginny and Gabrielle stood. Ron didn’t have to look to know that she was staring at Harry.
Music started to play and Fleur started to walk down the aisle. It was a mark of how focused he was on Hermione that he didn’t even look when she shook her long flowing hair over her shoulder.
The minister began to speak, but Ron was barely listening. It wasn’t until Bill started reciting his vows that Ron snapped back to reality.
“I love you more than I could ever say in words,” Bill said and Ron mouthed the words along with him, eyes locked with Hermione.
“And I know a lot of people think we’re crazy, getting married at a time like this. But I say that if two people are really in love, like we are, then nothing, not even war, can stop them from being together. I didn’t ask you to be with me because of the war, and I didn’t ask you to be with me in spite of it, either. I asked you to be with me for the rest of my life, no matter how long that may be, without giving it any consideration whatsoever because it just doesn’t matter. Love is love, with or without a war. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. And I promise to do my best to make that time the best of our lives.”
Tears were rolling down Hermione’s cheeks now.
Fleur was crying, too. “Zat was beautiful,” she said, sniffing. “I feel ze same way.”
The minister asked for the rings and before Ron knew it, he was pronouncing them husband and wife. As the music struck up again, the two of them walked down the aisle together, followed by the groomsmen and bridesmaids. As soon as the guests started to get up and move about the yard, Ron felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Hermione standing there, hands on her hips, tears still streaming down her face.
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
And before his mind could register what was happening, she pulled him down into their first kiss. Their lips pressed together and she wrapped her arms around his shoulder, her right hand in his hair. He made a noise of shock, but put his arms around her waist. They stayed, locked in their embrace, until they heard a noise behind them. They both jumped and turned to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley standing there.
“Oh, don’t mind us!” Mr. Weasley said jovially. “Just passing through on our way to the buffet…I do believe we made a wrong turn at Annoying Group of French People Number 1. Ah, yes, there it is. We should’ve made a right at the mushroom on the lawn. Right, off we go then…” and he pulled a very huffy looking Molly Weasley off to the buffet.
Ron laughed nervously and turned to her. “So, we’ve gotten past the telling my parents part…”
Hermione nodded awkwardly.
“Hey, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I just…when it’s just us…it feels…right, you know? But just now, when we looked up and there they were, it was like, ‘woah. What are you doing? Ron is your friend. This is his family. They love you like a daughter. This is crazy!’ You know?”
Ron put his hands on her hips and pressed his forehead to hers. “I don’t care about them. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. All I care about it you and me. And like you said. It feels right.”
She nodded. “I’m going to go talk to Ginny, see how she’s holding up, okay? We’ll talk tonight. I’ll come to your room after everyone else is asleep.”
Ron nodded and watched her walk off, then felt an arm thump him on the back.
“Well, seems Ickle Ronnie has bollocks after all!” Fred said jovially.
“I guess that’s one bet I lost,” George sighed. At Ron’s confused look, he added, “I was convinced you were a poof.”
“But it seems you were wrong, George, because unless mine ears deceive me, Ickle Ronnie has a girl coming to his room tonight.”
Ron pushed Fred’s arm off his shoulders and said, “You’re not gonna tell mum, are you? Because she’s already upset about this enough.”
“Are you referring to her finding out about the Bath incident?” George asked slyly.
“How did you…?”
“She was complaining about it this morning before you woke up. Doesn’t believe your story. And now that George has so kindly brought up the subject, by the by, is it true?”
“Sort of…most of it…Well, it happened in the Bath anyway…I just er…left out some details.”
“Such as…?” Fred prompted.
“She er…gave me a…you know,” Ron blushed and looked away.
“A?” George asked.
“Don’t make me say it!” At their looks he said, “Fine, it was a blow job. She came in, caught me wanking in the Baths, and before I really knew what was happening, she got in and pushed me up on the side of the tub and started sucking me off. After that, we went out for a walk and started telling each other all sorts of things about how we felt about each other.”
“So then, you don’t need the Sex Ed talk we were going to provide?” George asked, sounding hurt.
“What the hell, let’s give it to him anyway!” Fred said, wrapping his arm around Ron’s shoulders again. “Now, the first thing you have to do is find the clitoris…”
Ron shuddered but allowed himself to be led into the groomsmen tent for the rest of his Talk.
~*~
Ron walked into the kitchen, but paused just out of sight. He knew he shouldn’t listen in on other people’s conversations, but Harry and Ginny were talking and from the sound of things, Ginny was crying.
“I DON’T CARE!” she screamed. “I don’t give a fuck if you might die, I don’t care if I might! If I’m going to die, then I’d rather go as your girlfriend who stood beside you until the very end than alone!”
“Ginny, you don’t understand!”
“Yes, I do! I understand what you’re trying to do, and I’m sorry, but it’s bullshit!”
There was a huge pause in which Ron couldn’t hear anything, then he heard a slurping sort of sound. He peeked around the corner and say that the two of them were standing there, kissing. He was torn with annoyance that his best friend was kissing his sister and elation that he wouldn’t have to see that sad look on her face again. He hated that look. It made his heart hurt for her.
He entered the kitchen fully and cleared his throat. “Don’t mind me, just heading up to my room. Please, continue what you’re doing. Really. But don’t let Fred and George catch you. They’re giving out free sex ed talks and they’re really quite disturbing. They’ve got illustrations, and I don’t mean the good kind,” he grinned at Ginny who laughed and then kissed Harry again.
When Ron got up to his room, he was greeted by the sight of Hermione sitting on his bed waiting for him.
“Sorry, I couldn’t wait,” she said.
“No, it’s fine,” he sat down next to her.
“Ron, I just…how can you be so sure about this?”
“I’m not,” he said. “I’m terrified. Scared that I’ll mess this up, scared that we’ll break up and never speak to each other again, just plain scared. But I love you. And some things are worth the risk.”
“Am I?”
“Always.”
Hermione nodded and kissed him. “I think I’m ready to forget the letter.”
Ron reached around and tugged the zipper of her dress down and she stood up, allowing it to fall into a puddle at her feet. She blushed and covered her now bare chest with her arms.
“Don’t,” he said, gently pulling one arm away.
She moved her arms slowly away, then tugged his robe off over his head.
They fell back on the bed, kissing passionately, and suddenly Hermione giggled.
“What?” he asked, pulling back and looking annoyed.
“It’s just…I can feel you…on my hip. You know,” she laughed again, but this time it was a nervous laugh.
“Yeah?” Ron said, moving a hand up to caress her left breast, running his finger in circles around the stiff nipple. “Well I can feel this,” he lowered his mouth to the nub and flicked his tongue over it once, “on my chest.”
She laughed and said, “Um…listen…I just…I wanted to say that I’m glad it’s you.”
“I’m glad it’s you, too,” he said and sucked her earlobe into his mouth. She made a happy noise and he smiled against her neck. He let one hand sneak under the waistband of her panties and slip into her. She tossed her head back, giving him better access to her neck, and he bit down gently and sucked, fingers still working furiously.
“Wait,” she gasped. “Wait, just…slow down for a minute.”
Ron removed his hands from her underwear and looked into her face. “Yeah?”
“I um…didn’t want to…just yet. I…”
He knew what she wanted, but the thought of those words coming from her mouth were such a turn on that he whispered, “Say it.”
“I…I want you…inside of me when I…”
“Say it.”
“When I come.”
Ron shuddered as his cock twitched appreciatively and started to tug her panties off, then his own boxers.
He grabbed his wand and muttered “Domantium! Fornicus!” and tossed it to the floor before pushing inside of her slowly.
She gasped and looked at him before saying, “It hurts.”
“I’m sorry. Should I stop?”
“No…just…just go easy.”
He moved in, inch by inch, which was difficult to do as every time he moved, Hermione made a small noise of pain. He didn’t want to hurt her…
Finally in, he stayed absolutely still for a moment, letting her adjust.
“Okay…I’m okay…just…slow, right?”
He nodded and started to pull back. He thrust in slowly and she made another noise.
By the third thrust in, she made a different noise altogether. “Oh. Right there,” she said quietly.
Ron tried to angle for that spot again and when he did, she made the most incredible noise he’d ever heard and he could feel her sort of…clenching around him and that pressure sent him over the edge. He captured her mouth in a kiss and continued to move inside of her, waiting until both of their orgasms had subsided.
He pulled out of her and lay down on the bed, her head on his chest.
“All right?” he asked, suddenly aware of the fact that he could’ve been awful and seriously buggered things up.
“It was fine,” Hermione said, yawning. “I’m tired, and it’s only five.”
Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulders and said, “Go on, go to sleep. I don’t mind.”
“What if someone comes in?”
“Well, it’s not as if they can’t guess where we’ve been for the past half-hour. A couple doesn’t randomly disappear for a half hour without good reason.”
Hermione smiled sleepily and said, “You called us a couple. It feels so weird to hear you say that.”
“It feels right to say it, though.”
“I know,” she smiled and then drifted off to sleep.
Rating: NC-17.
Pairing: Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny, Bill/Fleur, casual mentions of Lupin/Tonks.
Warnings: HBP ship spoilers.
Word Count: 4,568.
Summary: At the end of last term, Ron and Hermione finally confessed their feelings to each other. Ron has been waiting all summer to see her. But the more time they spend apart, the more Hermione becomes convinced that they should take a page out of Harry’s book. Ron and Ginny spend most of their days in their rooms, depressed and angry. Now that Hermione and Harry are arriving for Fleur and Bill’s wedding, the Weasleys are determined to prove to their partners that love is not a weakness.
Disclaimer: If I were JK Rowling and I stood to gain another bazillion dollars just for finishing my next book, do you honestly think I’d be wasting my time posting pervy fanfiction on the internet? Absolutely not. Therefore, we must conclude that I am, in fact, NOT JK Rowling. These characters belong to her, Bloomsbury, Scholastic, Arthur Levine Books, and Warner Brothers. I am just borrowing them for a while to write
Notes: When a die-hard slasher spends her time writing hetsmut instead of editing her slash fic, there is clearly something wrong with the world. I blame it on the damn heat around here. Anyway, this follows canon pretty much, just talks about a scene that er, got “deleted” from HBP. But yeah, it’s pretty much canon-compliant. So obviously, HBP spoilers. You’ve been warned, ‘kay?
Ron was sitting at the kitchen table talking to his mum when Ginny came downstairs for breakfast.
“Morning,” she said cheerfully, but Ron could tell she’d been crying.
Ron opened his mouth to respond, but his mum cut him off by pointing out the window and saying, “Look, the post.”
Two owls were flying to the window; Hedwig and Errol. Ron jumped up and pulled the window open quickly so that Errol wouldn’t fly into it. After landing, Errol swayed for a moment, then fell over into the bowl of cereal that Ginny had just poured for herself. Hedwig held her leg out between Ron and Ginny and both reached to take the letter. Hedwig hooted angrily at Ginny and hopped closer to Ron, allowing him to take the letter. Ron looked up, their eyes met, and she choked back a sob and ran upstairs. They heard the door slam a moment later, and Ron turned to his mum, silently asking, “What now?” She closed her eyes for a moment, pinched the bridge of her nose, and sighed.
“I love Harry, of course, but right now, I could kill him,” she said.
“I know,” Ron sat down, still holding the letter.
“What did he write?” she asked.
Ron opened the letter and started to read.
Ron,
I know I’m probably not your family’s favorite person right now. Hermione wrote to me to tell me the things that Ginny has been saying in her letters to her. Look, I’m really sorry. I only did what I did because I care about her. And…if we both survive this war, then I definitely want to get back together with her (if she’ll have me after all this), but right now, it’s just not safe.
Anyway, I was writing to tell you that I’m arriving for Bill’s wedding on Sunday. Tonks and Lupin are escorting me since they’re coming to the ceremony, too. We’ll be arriving at about 1 o’clock.
Hope you’ve been having a good summer.
Harry
“We know why he did it,” Molly sighed. “And we accept that he had to. We just don’t like it!”
“Mum, he wouldn’t do it if he didn’t have to.”
“I know, dear. I’m not mad at him. Of course he had to do this. I’m mad at…everyone, I guess. At the world for putting him through this. For putting you and Ginny through this.”
Ron had only seen his mother cry twice before, and both of those times had been at funerals. But he distinctly saw a tear on her cheek and heard her sniffle.
“Mum…it’ll be okay. Ginny…she’ll get over this. You know how she goes through boyfriends,” he said.
“This is different!” Molly said, gasping as though he’d just said a dirty word. “This is Harry. She…she’s loved him since she was 12. You know that.”
Ron nodded and looked at the letter tied to Errol’s leg. He’d forgotten about it in upset. He reached over and untied the letter and then poked Errol with his pinky. To his relief, the bird moved a bit. He turned over the letter and saw Hermione’s writing on it.
“I’m going to go up to my room,” he told his mum, still staring at her writing.
He went up the stairs to his room and settled himself down on his bed and opened the letter.
Ron,
Hello. How have you been? Everything has been crazy here. I’ve explained about Voldemort—quit shuddering, Ron. You’ll have to say his name eventually—to my parents and they’ve been having kittens over it. They don’t want me to come to the Burrow, but I’ve got my Apparition test now, so I’m still coming for the wedding!
How’s Ginny? I know, obviously, from her letters, but I mean how is she acting in front of everyone? She said she rarely comes out of her room. I feel so sorry for her. I wish there was something we could do to help, but I think that at least for now, Harry made the right choice.
Ron, listen, there’s something I need to say, and I don’t know if I’ll have the bollocks to say it to your face. After everything that happened last year…and everything that we’re about to do…I’m not sure if…that thing we talked about is such a good idea. I know how I feel, and I know what you said, and it was wonderful, Ron, to finally say those things out loud. But…maybe Harry has the right idea. Don’t you think? It’s best not to give Voldemort any more weapons than he already possesses, right? Oh, Ron, I’m really sorry. I wish things were different. We just have to be strong, right?
Oh, I’m so sorry. I wish it didn’t have to be this way. Well…I guess I’ll see you on Saturday, then.
Love,
Hermione
Ron sat staring at the parchment not really seeing it. He couldn’t believe it. They hadn’t even gone out properly yet and she was breaking up with him. Stupid Harry and his stupid ideas. What was he thinking, breaking up with Ginny? Didn’t he know what would happen? Now Hermione had gone and done the same thing. He almost growled in anger before crumpling the letter up and tossing it in the bin. He sat there fuming for a few minutes before he heard a soft knock at his door.
“Yeah?” he called.
Ginny opened it and edged into the room.
“What’d it say?” she asked quietly.
“Just explaining why he did it,” Ron said, not looking at her.
He didn’t know how, but he knew she nodded. He could picture her face because it was the same one she’d been wearing since they’d gotten home at the end of term. She had held up bravely on the train ride home, never letting on how sad she was. She smiled and laughed as though nothing were wrong, and then as soon as they’d gotten home, she’d locked herself in her room and cried herself silly.
“Anything new?”
“No. Same old bullshit.”
“You didn’t think it was bullshit a week ago,” she said suddenly. “You were quite supportive of the idea.”
“Hermione just broke up with me for the same reasons.”
“Oh.”
“Fucking bastard,” Ron muttered.
“Yeah, he is.”
“I mean…God, I feel so stupid now, you know?” Ron paused then continued, but Ginny was speaking in unison with him, as though reading his mind. “Saying all those things to her, admitting how I felt. Loving her. Telling her that she made my life worth living.”
He raised a brow at her. “Yeah. How’d you know?”
“It’s been going through my mind all summer.”
Through the crack in the door from where Ginny had entered, they watched as Bill and Fleur walked happily up the stairs, holding hands and grinning.
“Makes you sick, doesn’t it?” she asked.
“Yeah, it does.”
“And not just because it’s Phlegm.”
He shook his head.
“When is he coming?”
“Sunday.”
“And what about Hermione?”
“Saturday.”
“Well, that gives you three days to mope before you have to act like a human being again,” she said, a faint trace of smile on her face.
“What do you do to deal with it?”
“Cry.”
“And?”
“That’s it. I just sit in there and cry.”
“I don’t think that’s going to work for me.”
“Probably not.” She stood and put her hand on his shoulder comfortingly before heading for the door. She paused at the doorway and turned back to him. “If you ever…want someone to cry with, I’m in my room.” She left, pulling the door shut softly behind her.
~*~
Ron and Ginny spent most of the next few days avoiding Bill and Fleur. Bill constantly wanted to make adjustments on Ron’s groomsmen’s robes, and Fleur was always fussing over Ginny’s bridesmaids’ dress. She was never satisfied with the way it looked with her hair and threw numerous fits, insisting that she be allowed to charm Ginny’s hair a different color, just for the day.
As much as he didn’t want it to, Saturday arrived and he knew he had to face Hermione. At exactly 12:30, there was a popping noise in the yard followed by a knock at the door. Ron went to open it, but his dad stopped him. “Ask her the question, Ron!”
Ron sighed and said, “Hermione, what is your favorite book?”
“Well, it’s really hard to choose--”
“Just tell me the answer!” he said exasperatedly.
“Right. It’s Hogwarts, a History. Do I have to ask you yours?”
Ron glanced back at his parents, who were sitting at the table, staring at him.
“Uh…well,” he gulped, “it’s probably best that I didn’t answer it. My parents are right here,” he whispered.
“Oh,” Hermione said, and sounded like she was stifling a giggle.
“Now, Ron, it’s procedure! We have to set an example!” Arthur said. He then raised his voice so that Hermione could hear it outside and said, “Go on, dear, ask him.”
Hermione laughed again and asked, “Ron…do the freckles…” she paused and giggled some more, then finished, “…go all the way down?”
Ron blushed a thousand different shades of magenta and muttered, “You know they do.”
He pulled the door open and saw her standing there, a hand over her mouth, suppressing her laughter. All he wanted to do was grab her and kiss her, but he couldn’t. “Come on, come on, then,” he said gruffly, ushering her into the house. “You’re staying in Percy’s old room,” he said.
She nodded and walked past him, waving at his parents. “Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley,” she said brightly before heading up the stairs. Ron made to follow her but his parents stopped him.
“Ron, get back here!” Molly shouted.
Ron walked back into the room and stood in front of them.
“Yeah?” he asked.
“What was that about?” she asked.
“What was what?”
“How does she ‘know they do?’ Is there something you need to tell us?”
“It’s not what you think,” he said, and blushed again.
“Ron, there’s no need to lie,” Arthur said.
“I’m not…really. It’s just…last year she walked in on me in the Prefect’s bath. That’s all.”
Molly raised an eyebrow, but Arthur said, “Now dear, if Ron says that’s what happened, then that’s what happened.”
Ron thought his mum didn’t look as though she believed him, but she let him go on upstairs without further questions.
Ron knocked on the door of Percy’s old room.
“Come in,” Hermione said.
He entered to find her sitting on the edge of her bed, staring at her hands. He sat down next to her and watched intently as she intertwined her fingers as though all the answers to the world were written on those hands.
“I just had to explain to my mum and dad about last year,” he said.
She looked up suddenly and laughed. “No!”
“Yeah. They wanted to know how you knew about my freckles. They seem to think that uh…we’ve…” he trailed off, not needing to continue.
“If only they knew just how close they were, huh?” Hermione asked. “I mean we almost did and…we were going to when I got here…”
“We still can,” Ron whispered and licked his lips, leaning over slowly until his lips were almost touching hers. “We can forget you ever wrote that letter.”
For a brief moment, Ron thought she might give in. Then she put her hands on his chest and pushed him back slightly. “No. No, we can’t. We mustn’t.”
“Hermione!” Ron said angrily, pulling back and staring at their reflection in the mirror across from the bed. It was much easier to talk to the Mirror Hermione than it was to face the real thing. “Look, I know what you think, but…this is different! We’re different. I’m not Harry and I haven’t got You-Know-Who after my bloody arse.”
“He’s after everyone,” Hermione said simply.
Ron stared at her reflection in the mirror, watching her face contort as she fought back tears.
“Hermione…at war times, people rush into decisions that they normally wouldn’t make and…”
“Exactly,” she said. “Don’t you think that’s what we did, back in June? When we…when we said all those things? When…when I did that?”
Ron stared coldly at the real Hermione this time and said in a harsh voice. “I meant all those things I said. I don’t know about you, but I meant them and I would’ve said them, war or no war. Because it’s the truth, Hermione. And deep down, you know it, too.”
He got up and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
~*~
On Sunday, Harry arrived with Lupin and Tonks. They were all already in their wedding attire. Lupin and Tonks were holding hands and kissing each other lightly on the lips, but the look on Harry’s face said that they had been doing slightly more than that the whole trip over.
“Disgusting,” he said under his breath to Ron as he entered the Burrow. Ron laughed, but it was a hollow sound that felt foreign.
Ginny was sitting at the table sipping a cup of tea, already in her bridesmaid dress, talking to Hermione quietly.
“Er, hi, Ginny,” Harry said awkwardly.
Ron saw her eyes snap open wide, seemingly frozen for a moment. A look of panic crossed her face, followed quickly by a calm smile. “Hi, Harry,” she said, turning to face him. “Nice to see you.” She set the cup down and stood up. “Well, if you’ll excuse us, Ron and I have to go get ready for the ceremony. Phlegm is in an uproar that mine and Gabrielle’s dresses are two shades of blue different from each other.”
She took Ron’s arm and led him out into the backyard, letting out a shuddering breath as soon as they were out of earshot.
“You did good,” he said.
“Had lots of practice, haven’t I?” she said sadly.
“Guess you have.”
“Oh, Ginny!” Fleur said, running up to them both. “Your dress! It iz not ze right color! Oh, that stupid seamstress!” With that, she pulled poor Ginny off to a tent that had been set up for the girls to get ready in. Across the yard, Bill motioned for Ron to join him, Charlie, and the twins.
“So, little brother, sorry you had to miss the bachelor party last night,” Fred grinned.
Ron just shrugged.
“All right,” Bill cut in. “So, it’s going to be Charlie next to me, then Fred, George, and then you.”
Ron nodded, looking across the yard. Hermione had just emerged from the house, having changed into her dress for the wedding. It was pale green and shimmered in the sunlight. His eyes followed her from the back door to the arch where she stood, talking with Lupin, whose arm seemed permanently attached to Tonks’ waist.
“Ron…Ron, are you listening?” Bill asked, snapping his fingers in front of Ron’s face.
“Oh, I see what the problem is,” Fred said, following Ron’s eyes and guessing correctly that he was staring at Hermione. “Ickle Ronnikins can’t seem to take his eyes off of Hermione.”
“Huh?” Ron asked, snapping back to the present.
“We were just commenting that the two of you need to get a room and shag already,” George said bluntly.
Ron sputtered indignantly for a moment before realizing that that was precisely what he wanted to do.
“Leave poor Ronnie alone,” Charlie said, thumping Ron on the back.
“Thank you,” Ron said.
“Yeah, he’s a little upset right now because he’s so in love.”
“So what if I am?” Ron said challengingly.
“Woah, woah. Calm down there, bro,” Bill said. “We can answer the whole ‘will they/won’t they’ question later. Right now, it’s time for my wedding.”
The five of them trooped up to the front of the yard as everyone took their seats. To Ron’s dismay, Hermione took a seat directly within his eye-line.
On the other side of the arch, Ginny and Gabrielle stood. Ron didn’t have to look to know that she was staring at Harry.
Music started to play and Fleur started to walk down the aisle. It was a mark of how focused he was on Hermione that he didn’t even look when she shook her long flowing hair over her shoulder.
The minister began to speak, but Ron was barely listening. It wasn’t until Bill started reciting his vows that Ron snapped back to reality.
“I love you more than I could ever say in words,” Bill said and Ron mouthed the words along with him, eyes locked with Hermione.
“And I know a lot of people think we’re crazy, getting married at a time like this. But I say that if two people are really in love, like we are, then nothing, not even war, can stop them from being together. I didn’t ask you to be with me because of the war, and I didn’t ask you to be with me in spite of it, either. I asked you to be with me for the rest of my life, no matter how long that may be, without giving it any consideration whatsoever because it just doesn’t matter. Love is love, with or without a war. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. And I promise to do my best to make that time the best of our lives.”
Tears were rolling down Hermione’s cheeks now.
Fleur was crying, too. “Zat was beautiful,” she said, sniffing. “I feel ze same way.”
The minister asked for the rings and before Ron knew it, he was pronouncing them husband and wife. As the music struck up again, the two of them walked down the aisle together, followed by the groomsmen and bridesmaids. As soon as the guests started to get up and move about the yard, Ron felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned and saw Hermione standing there, hands on her hips, tears still streaming down her face.
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
And before his mind could register what was happening, she pulled him down into their first kiss. Their lips pressed together and she wrapped her arms around his shoulder, her right hand in his hair. He made a noise of shock, but put his arms around her waist. They stayed, locked in their embrace, until they heard a noise behind them. They both jumped and turned to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley standing there.
“Oh, don’t mind us!” Mr. Weasley said jovially. “Just passing through on our way to the buffet…I do believe we made a wrong turn at Annoying Group of French People Number 1. Ah, yes, there it is. We should’ve made a right at the mushroom on the lawn. Right, off we go then…” and he pulled a very huffy looking Molly Weasley off to the buffet.
Ron laughed nervously and turned to her. “So, we’ve gotten past the telling my parents part…”
Hermione nodded awkwardly.
“Hey, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing. I just…when it’s just us…it feels…right, you know? But just now, when we looked up and there they were, it was like, ‘woah. What are you doing? Ron is your friend. This is his family. They love you like a daughter. This is crazy!’ You know?”
Ron put his hands on her hips and pressed his forehead to hers. “I don’t care about them. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. All I care about it you and me. And like you said. It feels right.”
She nodded. “I’m going to go talk to Ginny, see how she’s holding up, okay? We’ll talk tonight. I’ll come to your room after everyone else is asleep.”
Ron nodded and watched her walk off, then felt an arm thump him on the back.
“Well, seems Ickle Ronnie has bollocks after all!” Fred said jovially.
“I guess that’s one bet I lost,” George sighed. At Ron’s confused look, he added, “I was convinced you were a poof.”
“But it seems you were wrong, George, because unless mine ears deceive me, Ickle Ronnie has a girl coming to his room tonight.”
Ron pushed Fred’s arm off his shoulders and said, “You’re not gonna tell mum, are you? Because she’s already upset about this enough.”
“Are you referring to her finding out about the Bath incident?” George asked slyly.
“How did you…?”
“She was complaining about it this morning before you woke up. Doesn’t believe your story. And now that George has so kindly brought up the subject, by the by, is it true?”
“Sort of…most of it…Well, it happened in the Bath anyway…I just er…left out some details.”
“Such as…?” Fred prompted.
“She er…gave me a…you know,” Ron blushed and looked away.
“A?” George asked.
“Don’t make me say it!” At their looks he said, “Fine, it was a blow job. She came in, caught me wanking in the Baths, and before I really knew what was happening, she got in and pushed me up on the side of the tub and started sucking me off. After that, we went out for a walk and started telling each other all sorts of things about how we felt about each other.”
“So then, you don’t need the Sex Ed talk we were going to provide?” George asked, sounding hurt.
“What the hell, let’s give it to him anyway!” Fred said, wrapping his arm around Ron’s shoulders again. “Now, the first thing you have to do is find the clitoris…”
Ron shuddered but allowed himself to be led into the groomsmen tent for the rest of his Talk.
~*~
Ron walked into the kitchen, but paused just out of sight. He knew he shouldn’t listen in on other people’s conversations, but Harry and Ginny were talking and from the sound of things, Ginny was crying.
“I DON’T CARE!” she screamed. “I don’t give a fuck if you might die, I don’t care if I might! If I’m going to die, then I’d rather go as your girlfriend who stood beside you until the very end than alone!”
“Ginny, you don’t understand!”
“Yes, I do! I understand what you’re trying to do, and I’m sorry, but it’s bullshit!”
There was a huge pause in which Ron couldn’t hear anything, then he heard a slurping sort of sound. He peeked around the corner and say that the two of them were standing there, kissing. He was torn with annoyance that his best friend was kissing his sister and elation that he wouldn’t have to see that sad look on her face again. He hated that look. It made his heart hurt for her.
He entered the kitchen fully and cleared his throat. “Don’t mind me, just heading up to my room. Please, continue what you’re doing. Really. But don’t let Fred and George catch you. They’re giving out free sex ed talks and they’re really quite disturbing. They’ve got illustrations, and I don’t mean the good kind,” he grinned at Ginny who laughed and then kissed Harry again.
When Ron got up to his room, he was greeted by the sight of Hermione sitting on his bed waiting for him.
“Sorry, I couldn’t wait,” she said.
“No, it’s fine,” he sat down next to her.
“Ron, I just…how can you be so sure about this?”
“I’m not,” he said. “I’m terrified. Scared that I’ll mess this up, scared that we’ll break up and never speak to each other again, just plain scared. But I love you. And some things are worth the risk.”
“Am I?”
“Always.”
Hermione nodded and kissed him. “I think I’m ready to forget the letter.”
Ron reached around and tugged the zipper of her dress down and she stood up, allowing it to fall into a puddle at her feet. She blushed and covered her now bare chest with her arms.
“Don’t,” he said, gently pulling one arm away.
She moved her arms slowly away, then tugged his robe off over his head.
They fell back on the bed, kissing passionately, and suddenly Hermione giggled.
“What?” he asked, pulling back and looking annoyed.
“It’s just…I can feel you…on my hip. You know,” she laughed again, but this time it was a nervous laugh.
“Yeah?” Ron said, moving a hand up to caress her left breast, running his finger in circles around the stiff nipple. “Well I can feel this,” he lowered his mouth to the nub and flicked his tongue over it once, “on my chest.”
She laughed and said, “Um…listen…I just…I wanted to say that I’m glad it’s you.”
“I’m glad it’s you, too,” he said and sucked her earlobe into his mouth. She made a happy noise and he smiled against her neck. He let one hand sneak under the waistband of her panties and slip into her. She tossed her head back, giving him better access to her neck, and he bit down gently and sucked, fingers still working furiously.
“Wait,” she gasped. “Wait, just…slow down for a minute.”
Ron removed his hands from her underwear and looked into her face. “Yeah?”
“I um…didn’t want to…just yet. I…”
He knew what she wanted, but the thought of those words coming from her mouth were such a turn on that he whispered, “Say it.”
“I…I want you…inside of me when I…”
“Say it.”
“When I come.”
Ron shuddered as his cock twitched appreciatively and started to tug her panties off, then his own boxers.
He grabbed his wand and muttered “Domantium! Fornicus!” and tossed it to the floor before pushing inside of her slowly.
She gasped and looked at him before saying, “It hurts.”
“I’m sorry. Should I stop?”
“No…just…just go easy.”
He moved in, inch by inch, which was difficult to do as every time he moved, Hermione made a small noise of pain. He didn’t want to hurt her…
Finally in, he stayed absolutely still for a moment, letting her adjust.
“Okay…I’m okay…just…slow, right?”
He nodded and started to pull back. He thrust in slowly and she made another noise.
By the third thrust in, she made a different noise altogether. “Oh. Right there,” she said quietly.
Ron tried to angle for that spot again and when he did, she made the most incredible noise he’d ever heard and he could feel her sort of…clenching around him and that pressure sent him over the edge. He captured her mouth in a kiss and continued to move inside of her, waiting until both of their orgasms had subsided.
He pulled out of her and lay down on the bed, her head on his chest.
“All right?” he asked, suddenly aware of the fact that he could’ve been awful and seriously buggered things up.
“It was fine,” Hermione said, yawning. “I’m tired, and it’s only five.”
Ron wrapped his arm around her shoulders and said, “Go on, go to sleep. I don’t mind.”
“What if someone comes in?”
“Well, it’s not as if they can’t guess where we’ve been for the past half-hour. A couple doesn’t randomly disappear for a half hour without good reason.”
Hermione smiled sleepily and said, “You called us a couple. It feels so weird to hear you say that.”
“It feels right to say it, though.”
“I know,” she smiled and then drifted off to sleep.
