a/n: I wrote this story (this is the first of five chapters) on my laptop while I was vacationing in Scotland this Spring. We rented a cabin in the Scottish Highlands about a half hour away from the Glenfinnan Viaduct. When we asked a Local for directions, he laughed and asked, “Harry Potter, right?�

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All characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing.

Freeze

Chapter 1: A Parcel

A light breeze blew Hermione’s long brown hair over her eyes, but she was grateful for something to hide under. She continued looking down for a moment and had a vague thought that she should replace the worn welcome mat that lay under their feet.

The feet opposite hers wore black Doc Martins and her eyes went upward from his trousers to his brown sweater and finally up into his handsome face. His eyes were brown like hers but his hair was blond. Her eyes twinkled and she flashed a shy smile as the wind blew a lock of it over his eyes. I wonder if he’s as nervous as I am... though I don’t know why we should be. It’s been a perfectly lovely evening. She cleared her throat and nervously looked around before meeting his eyes again.

“Thomas, thank you. Once again I had a wonderful time,� she said quietly, leaning back against the cool wood that was the front door of her townhouse, keys in hand. Is he going to kiss me? If he does, I think I’ll let him. She continued to look up into his eyes.

He ran his fingers through his blond hair, but it was pointless as the thick locks fell right back into place, covering most of his brown eyes. They looked right back into hers and he nodded. “Hermione,� he smiled and leaned in closer, “I know this sounds crazy – it’s only our second date,� he said as he looked down and then back into her eyes. She fought a nervous smile because his beautiful face was mere inches away from her own and he was looking straight at her. So instead she summoned enough courage to close her eyes and meet him half way. Then she heard him whisper, “…I feel like we belong together.�

He couldn’t know that was the absolute wrong thing to say.

Her eyes opened wide and she froze just as his lips were about to meet hers. Thinking quickly, she moved to the side and gave him a quick peck on the cheek and squeaked, “Goodnight, Thomas. Um... I am sorry, but I have to get an early start tomorrow. I’ll talk to you later then? Okay goodnight!� She turned quickly, opened the door and closed it in his face.

Hermione stood against the inside of her door, breathing heavily with her eyes closed tightly. To keep from cursing, she tightly covered her mouth with her hand and waited until she heard footsteps retreat down the stone path. She turned and watched him from the window in the door as he trudged to his car. She spun back around and, catching her breath, she clamped her eyes shut while stomping a foot. “Damn!� she cursed under her breath in frustration.

She shook her head in defeat as she put the keys on the hook next to the door, tossed her wrap over the back of a nearby chair, and flipped on the kitchen light. She heard a purr and felt a warm weight rub against her leg. Looking down, she saw her cat, Crookshanks, and scooped him up for a much-needed cuddle.

“I was going to kiss him, Crookshanks. Really. But then… he said…� she sighed heavily. “Oh it doesn’t matter. I’m hopeless. He’ll probably never call again.� She stroked the fur under the cat’s chin until it purred. “And I really like him, you know. He’s the nicest Muggle boy I’ve met since I’ve been in America.� Her face fell.

The cat stopped purring and looked up at her.

Hermione frowned at the cat and put him down. “I do like him!� she growled as she walked into her bedroom and put on her pajamas. Crookshanks stretched lazily and jumped up on the bed. Hermione breathed another long sigh and padded to the bathroom to get her hairbrush. Sitting next to the cat, she began to untangle her long brown hair but suddenly stopped. The brush slowly fell into her lap as she remembered those words, “I feel like we belong together.� She frowned and bit her lip hard to stop the tears from forming.

A knock at the door made her jump.

Coming back to reality, her eyes widened as she exclaimed, “Oh! Maybe it’s Thomas. I didn’t frighten him off!� Hopeful, she practically flew off the bed and ran to check her front door. She was disappointed to see her next-door-neighbor, Mrs. Crowley, trying her best to peek through the window in the door. Hermione winced before opening it.

“Hello Mrs. Crowley. I believe it’s a bit late…“

“Yes it is,� the old woman interrupted with a brittle, crackling voice as she raised one pointy eyebrow at Hermione. “I found this parcel on my doorstep this afternoon,� she said as she held up a small box wrapped in brown paper. It was roughly the size of her hand and had a name written on the top in a loopy scrawl, “Hermione Granger.� “Strange, don’t you think? It came after the mail had already been delivered. I went out to water my garden and there it was. Almost tripped over it! A person could get hurt.� She frowned and held up the box as if to prove her point.

Hermione looked once more at the tiny ‘parcel of doom’ before looking back up at Mrs. Crowley. “Oh! Um… yes. You’re absolutely right.� She bit her lip and managed a small, fake laugh. “I’m sorry. My... Uncle must have dropped that off for me. He must have forgotten my number,� she stammered as she took the box from the old woman. “Uncle Ned would be so grateful for your kindness. Thank you again, Mrs. Crowley. Goodnight.�

Before the old woman could rebut, Hermione once again shut the door in someone’s unsuspecting face.

Hermione sighed and shook her head. She held the package in one hand and switched off lights with the other as she padded back to her bedroom. Once again sitting on the comfortable pink quilt that lay over her bed, she noticed that Crookshanks hadn’t moved from his cozy spot.

She looked down at the box in her hand. Frowning, she asked, “What do you think Crookshanks? I’m not due a message from the Ministry any time soon. In fact, they’re still awaiting my monthly ADoA report. I wonder who sent it.�

She untied the twine and opened the box. Inside it was a picture of herself and her old friend, Ginny Weasley. The two girls were laughing in the photo, Hermione wearing her graduation robes from Hogwarts and Ginny wearing a pale yellow dress. The girls in the photo moved as she watched, clutching each other and smiling at the photographer over and over again.

Hermione glanced up nervously and looked around, noticing the drawn curtains at the windows and breathing a sigh of relief. She remembered she had placed the wards around them earlier this week and they should still be working to keep away prying eyes, particularly Mrs. Crowley’s.

Beneath that photo was another. This one featured Ginny wearing her Hogwarts graduation robes. Ginny’s smile was faint, however, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She waved in the photo, but it was a sad attempt and there was no one else in the photo with her.

Hermione winced at her friend’s obvious loneliness as she remembered the war and the toll it had taken on everyone, including Hogwarts, which closed for a year during the major battle. She knew Ginny would return to school but was sad that she had to miss her friend’s graduation.

Hermione removed a note from underneath the second photo and read it aloud:

Dear Hermione,

I hope this message finds you! Pigwidgeon isn’t the most reliable owl but I’m afraid he’s the only one I’ve got. I need your help, Hermione. I know your work is important and I don’t want to blow your cover – but honestly – there is nowhere else to go. Rest assured I will be as discreet as humanly possible when I come to visit. I can’t wait to see you again. It’s been too long!

Love,

Ginny

“Discreet?� Hermione asked in exasperation as she looked at Crookshanks, “How discreet is an owl tossing a parcel on my ninety-year-old neighbor’s doorstep? Ginny, really!�

She put everything back in the small box as the cat yawned and stretched next to her.

Standing, Hermione opened her bedroom closet door and bent down to move some shoes out of the way. Underneath was a purple ribbon, half hidden within a plank of floorboard. She pulled at the ribbon and the plank lifted, revealing a hole in the floor. Inside the hole lay a tin box. She gently lifted it out and removed the lid to reveal the assortment of odd magical items within. Her face fell when she saw one item in particular, a wand, which she removed to make room for Ginny’s box. Frowning, she quickly placed it on top of some other photos from school so she wouldn’t have to see them. She wasn’t in the mood tonight. She liked Thomas. She did.

She thought of the newest photo of her friend and the sad girl’s face. What was going on? The constant frown of curiosity was giving Hermione a headache, so she took a deep breath, exhaled, and put her wand back in the tin box. She replaced its lid and slid the whole thing back into its hiding place. She replaced the shoes, closed the closet door, and crawled into bed next to her sleeping cat, exhausted.

Even though this new change of events might possibly ruin all the hard work she had done in the past three years, Hermione smiled. She was going to see Ginny again! Her old friend would have news from home, from Harry, from-

Her lips formed a thin line as she gathered her quilt to her chin with clenched fists. She wouldn’t think about him. Instead, she drifted off to sleep wondering why Ginny desperately needed to travel halfway across the world to find her in Chicago.

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a/n: I would like to thank Grimmrook for going over and over and over and over this for me. Never once did he complain as he blearily read and re-read it. GRIMMROOK – YOU ROCK.

a/n: Remember... REVIEWERS ROCK.



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All characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing.



Freeze



Chapter 2: Roommates



Hermione had removed the wards surrounding her townhouse the morning after receiving the letter. She wasn’t sure if Ginny wouldn’t just Apparate or try to use a Portkey, and Hermione didn’t want to keep her friend from reaching her destination safely. She still couldn’t believe that shortly she would be seeing Ginny again.



Sure enough, when Hermione unlocked her door that afternoon after work, she was greeted by a shock of red hair fanned out over the arm of her sofa. Her heart skipped a beat at the familiar color and her mouth dropped open involuntarily. Before she could react, Ginny jumped to her feet and ran to give her old friend a tight hug. “Hermione!�



Hermione laughed and hugged her back, kicking the door shut at the same time. “Ginny!� She held her at arms length and looked her up and down. Ginny would be nineteen now, one year younger than Hermione. The girl standing before her seemed in much better spirits than the lonely girl in the graduation photo. Now she had a relaxed look about her and a twinkle in her eye that had been missing earlier. Ginny’s familiar red hair was a bit longer too, reaching the middle of her back and falling in soft waves.



“Ginny, you scared me to death – not to mention I had to remove wards for you and your Apparition was undoubtedly suspected by any dark wizard in the immediate area. I hate to be so rude – I haven’t seen you for a long time, but what is going on?� She dragged Ginny by the hand and sat down on the sofa in the living room.



Ginny followed and sat down next to her. This should be interesting, Ginny thought. But she reminded herself that this was the only way.



“Hermione, I’m sorry about the lack of warning – and the wards. I promise I’ll- we’ll replace those. I just need a favor, a huge favor, and you were the only person that could help us.� Ginny’s face had a desperate look about it before she looked down at her tightly clasped hands.



Hermione blinked. “Us?� She looked around but the two of them were alone in the room. She furrowed her brow and looked at her, willing Ginny to look back up and explain. “Ginny, what’s going on?�



Ginny bit her lip and looked straight into Hermione’s eyes. “I need you to… no, the Order needs you to perform a Freeze for one of the members who’s gotten themselves into a spot of trouble.� Ginny gave her a sympathetic look that said, “I’m sorry.�



Hermione’s eyes became round as saucers. “A Freeze! Me? But Ginny, all of my work – I’m gone most of the time at my Muggle job, and – “ She stopped abruptly as realization dawned. “Oh,� she said with resignation. “It can only be performed in a home that’s been magic-free for over... one year, right? I understand now.� Ginny nodded slowly and once again Hermione wondered at the reason when, for a second time, realization dawned. Her eyebrows rose as she asked, “Ginny, are you a member of the Order now? You became an Auror and you need a Freeze? I thought you…“ She stopped again and took a closer look at her friend.



Hermione had thought that performing a protective Freeze for an Auror was a huge risk to both the witch or wizard who performed it, and to those whom they were protecting. Freezes were only used in extreme circumstances as it rendered the Auror in-hiding useless for at least one month (as well as their host) because that’s how long the spell lasted. The wards were so dangerous to conjure in fact, that it was advisable that only one Freeze spell be performed per host, per lifetime. Hermione thought Ginny must have made the wrong witch or wizard really angry.



Ginny only shook her head and smiled. “Hermione, the Freeze wouldn’t be for me. Well it would be, in a sense,� she mumbled as the smile faltered and she started over. “The reason I became an Auror… well you know how much I wanted to be with Harry and he wanted to be with me and well… Hermione,� she took a deep breath because she knew her news would come as a shock. “Harry and I were married last month.� In a huge emotional about face, she flashed a huge (yet somewhat guilty) smile and held up her hand, displaying an intricate band with stones and symbols on it.



Once again Hermione’s eyes grew big and she gasped, grabbing Ginny’s hand to look more closely. Had it been so long? She hadn’t talked to Harry in ages and she missed him. She missed them all. She’d missed Harry’s wedding.



“Ginny. Oh, it’s beautiful.� The Freeze was temporarily forgotten as she smiled and hugged Ginny, who she thought sighed with relief. “Congratulations to both of you. I… I wish I could have been there,� she whispered in her friend’s ear. Ginny’s married and I slam the door in my date’s face.



Ginny smiled sadly. “We went away, Hermione. Nobody knew, not even my parents. The dark wizard ring we’re after are former Death Eaters. Some of them are still after Harry. They were trying to find us and had almost stopped the ceremony from happening…� her voice faltered as she shuddered and looked down. “The Order discovered this and set up a watch but the ring leader found out about it. There was a huge standoff during the ceremony – but this particular member of the Order – he saved us. He’s in terrible danger, Hermione. We need your help. He needs your help.�



She didn't understand when suddenly, Ginny's meaning dawned on her. Hermione's mouth dropped open. She regained her composure as she folded her hands in her lap, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes. If she was correct, she was about to come face to face with the past she had been trying to forget for two years. “Where is he?� she asked in a deadpan voice.



“Hello Hermione.�



Her eyes flew open but she didn’t breathe. She felt goose bumps all over her body as she stood and turned toward the kitchen where the deep voice had come from. She looked straight into his blue eyes but did not return his smile. His red hair mimicked that of his sister who remained seated on the sofa, nervously watching the exchange. Hermione’s face was totally void of expression as she found her breath.



“Hello Ronald.�



~ * ~



Ginny took her time saying goodbye to her brother while Hermione was outside conjuring the Freeze wards on her home, following Ginny’s carefully laid out instructions. After the ten or so minutes it took Hermione to finish the incantations, Ginny made her sit down while she searched for something for Hermione to drink. She looks so pale, Ginny thought to herself, searching through Hermione’s fridge.



Ginny gave Hermione a hug before handing her a glass of milk and mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.� Ginny touched Hermione’s hand and without saying a thing, the two girls knew what was going on inside each other’s minds. Hermione knew that Ginny felt badly about bringing Ron to her home, taking her by complete surprise and possibly jeopardizing her work. Ginny knew that Hermione wanted to kill her.



Putting on a brave face, Ginny thanked Hermione once more and with tears in her eyes gave her yet another hug before turning her attention to Ron.



Ron’s brow furrowed as he watched the exchange before him and he started to speak. Ginny interrupted him, dragging him back into the living room so Hermione could get her wits about her again. Hermione hadn’t heard exactly what she said to Ron but thought it sounded something like, “Be nice,� and then Ginny was out the door and past the wards, leaving the two of them alone.



Hermione, feeling a little more herself after the brief rest became stunned and angry all over again. She would never be able to conjure Freeze wards for anyone else again and was amazed at her lack of argument to waste the ability on someone like Ronald Weasley. Staring straight ahead, Hermione returned to the living room and slowly sat down on the sofa again as Crookshanks quickly joined her. She thought the cat seemed as happy to see Ron as she was.



Ron looked around and, clearing his throat, sat down in a large chair as far away from Hermione as he could possibly get. She laughed inwardly at the gall.



What she didn’t know was that Ron was stunned by how beautiful she was. He had taken in everything about her, especially her hair. She was wearing it longer these days. He wondered why she had looked so tired when she came in earlier but quickly told himself he didn’t care.



Looking around at her Muggle-furnished home, he nodded and said, “It’s nice. You’ve done a good job. No one would know by looking that you’re a witch. I’ll bet the… ADoA is it?... are so very proud,� he said with a smirk.



She took immediate offence to his condescending tone and looked up at him. “You always did know just the right thing to say, Ronald.� Her voice dripped with sarcasm.



He sighed and leaned forward. With elbows on the knees of his trousers, he rubbed his temples with his hands. Hard. Dropping his hands in an act of defeat he looked at her once more and said, “I know you hate this. I hate it too. I’d rather fight than hide. But Harry and the others; Remus, Tonks, my parents –“ he laughed and shook his head, “Especially mum - they wouldn’t have it. It took a hex from Ginny to get me here, Hermione. I didn’t want this anymore than you did.� He held out his hands in defeat.



She couldn’t help her sneer of disgust. She had loved him once. She had thought he loved her. But he proved her wrong on two different occasions. Why should he act any different? He hadn’t seen her in three years. Why should she expect a hug? She told herself she didn’t want one. Not from him.



“Ronald. Stop talking.�



Ron’s mouth opened and closed. He knew she wouldn’t like him being here, but he hadn’t realized how much. Her cold manner was a shock. After what she had done to him; however, he told himself not to care. So instead of arguing, as they would have back at school, he sat back and waited.



Hermione took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Giving Crookshanks a pat (not missing Ron’s glare at her pet) she got up and walked to one of the many bookshelves lining the living room wall. She took out what looked like a large book on landscaping, but was, in fact, a book of magic she hadn’t used in quite a long time. Blowing off the dust (again, not missing Ron’s look of shock that any book in Hermione’s library should be dusty) she began to read aloud about the Auror Freeze. Ron continued to look around as she read, knowing at any minute she would speak. He didn’t have to wait long.



“Well basically it’s simple. A Freeze is exactly that. The Auror in hiding is ‘frozen’ in one particular area that is surrounded by particular wards that deflect any possible detection. The wards themselves are virtually undetectable once they are up which makes them particularly difficult to conjure.�



Ron didn’t see Hermione almost blanch at this as she remembered the difficulty and level of concentration. She had to speak the incantations three times before they even worked and had fallen down in exhaustion afterward. It had taken awhile for her breathing to come back to normal and she thought she might faint. Ron hadn’t been aware that this was going on. Hermione figured that was the reason Ginny had kept him in the house while she was outside.



She continued pacing and read, “The frozen witch or wizard is not to use magic under any circumstances because the area within the wards has already been magic-free for twelve months and must remain so,� she held her hand out and looked at him with one eyebrow raised.



He clenched his teeth, stood and handed her his wand, and then sat back down again.



She put his wand under her arm and continued, “Nor are they to leave this small, protected area for less than a month or they must face the consequences.�



Ron rolled his eyes and steepled his fingers, resting them over his mouth as he watched her pace. She looked sixteen all over again. He fought back a smile at the familiar sight. She was different now though. For one, she was wearing snug tan trousers and a red jumper instead of school robes.



Her body had changed too…



His mind snapped back to the matter at had as she started to speak again.



“I managed to place the wards earlier.� Ron thought she rolled her eyes but he couldn’t be sure. She continued, “So there really is nothing left for me to do, other than offer you a place to stay.� She gulped. “For one month.� She almost dropped the book and instead gathered it to her. She had to keep her hands from trembling and almost dropped his wand. Why is he still affecting me this way?



“Right,� he said with a grin as he looked up at her. “So which side do you sleep on? I prefer the left side myself.�



Hermione rolled her eyes as she put the book back into its resting place on the shelf and put his wand in her back pocket. “You get the entire sofa to yourself, Ron. Unless,� she added, “Crookshanks decides to join you.� Ron flashed the cat a horrified glance. The cat returned it and Ron did a double-take.



“Meanwhile, I’ll be taking a bath. You’ll find another half-bath off the study, and extra blankets and a pillow in the cupboard down the hall. I suppose you may help yourself in the kitchen. The kettle is on the stove. Um…� she glanced at him, frowning, “you do know how to work a Muggle stove, don’t you?�



He frowned and shook his head.



Hermione sighed. “Great,� she said, the word again dripping with sarcasm. “I’ll have to teach you then. In that case, don’t help yourself. I can’t have you burning my house down. I’ll be back out shortly. Don’t touch anything that you don’t understand.�



As she wandered back to her bedroom, he thought he heard her say, “That includes most everything.�



Even the cat looked at Ron with distaste. It jumped off the sofa and followed Hermione down the hallway.



Ron stood and gave up the mental fight he was having with himself because he couldn’t help but watch her until she was out of sight. He sighed heavily as he sat back down in the chair and threw his head back. He closed his eyes and muttered quietly, “What have I gotten myself into?�



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a/n: Once again I want to thank my Beta, Grimmrook, for being freakin’ awesome. Have you hugged your Beta today?

All characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing.




Freeze



Chapter 3: Bygones



Tapping his fingers on the arms of the chair, Ron took a look around Hermione’s living room. One wall was covered with bookshelves. No surprise there. Another chair like the one he was sitting in, a sofa, and small wooden chest for a coffee table were the only other furnishings in the room. Everything was a cream color with the exception of a few green pillows here and there.



Ron smirked as he remembered his own flat back in London. Ginny had told him that she would keep an eye on the place. Ron hadn’t kept a pet since graduation, and having given Pigwidgeon to Ginny, there wasn’t anything to keep an eye on. He eyed the sofa with disdain and shook his head with the realization that he would miss his own bed. He heard the tap and realized Hermione must be starting her bath causing him to sit forward with a jolt, eyes wide. His imagination was just starting to wander when an alarm rang, making him jump.



“Bloody hell!� he stammered, looking around for the intrusive noise. He got up and followed the incessant ringing. “Ah!� he said proudly, discovering the telephone. He could hear Hermione’s reprimand in his head: “Don’t touch anything you don’t understand.� So instead he sat there staring at it. Soon the ringing noise stopped and he heard a recording of Hermione’s starched voice. “Hello. I’m not available at the moment. Please leave a message.�



Ron looked down the hall noticing the still-running water. Suddenly he heard a man’s voice on the machine. “Uh, Hermione, it’s Tom. I had a really good time last night and I wanted to see if you if you were available this Saturday. I’d really like to see you again."



Ron slumped down again in his chair and said to himself, “Oh it’s like that, then, is it? Figures.� He shook his head and wondered why he even cared. He stood and decided to look for that bedding she mentioned.



It was going to be a long month.



~ * ~



Hermione turned the tap off, dropped her robe, and tested the water with a toe. Satisfied, she stepped in and sat down. The hot water calmed her frazzled nerves but did nothing for the butterflies going wild in her stomach. Ronald Weasley was in her living room.



She rolled her eyes as she slid down in the water. He had the nerve to be nothing short of gorgeous. His red hair had grown longer and almost brushed his shoulders. He had always been tall but he seemed bigger now, stronger, more sure of himself. That’s it, she thought to herself. He was an Auror now. Lord only knows what he’d been up to. Hermione remembered Ginny describing Ron as she and Harry’s savior at their wedding. Stopping a dark wizard in the thick of battle could be no easy feat. She smiled and sank down further in the water. She couldn’t believe it. I’m actually proud of him.



If only he had loved her as much as she had loved him. Hermione closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall.



It was going to be a long month.



~ * ~



Ron sat on the sofa and stared at Hermione’s books on the wall, the folded blankets lying untouched on his lap. One arm rested on two pillows that he had fetched with the blankets minutes before, while the other was draped lazily over the back of the couch.



The tap down the hall had stopped running.



He had begun to make his bed for the evening, but when he found his mind wandering again, he sat back down and hadn’t moved since. The old anger swelled inside of him all over again, and a hard frown found its way on his freckled face as he glared at the books opposite him.



“Dad, is it true? The attacks- are you sure?�



Arthur sighed, got up from his desk, and closed the office door behind his son so they could have some privacy. Ron knew that he had been out of line when he barged into his father’s office but just having heard the news, he had to find out for himself.



“Son...� Arthur looked down and gave a heavy sigh before answering. “We’re pretty sure, yes.�



Ron’s expression changed from shock to anger in a second. “I’m going with you.�



His father shook his head and offered him a chair. Ron took it and Arthur sat down opposite him. “Son, it’s too risky. You need to finish your training and let the Order handle this. They have a lead-“



“DAD! I can help. I know him better than the Order does!� He was determined and didn’t back down.



Arthur sighed and then he did something that took Ron by surprise. He nodded.



~*~



Hermione’s mind drifted as she lay in the warm water.



Ron was so close…



Suddenly she realized she was crying. The tears ran freely down her face. She covered her mouth with one wet hand to stifle the sobs. She didn’t want him to hear.



She sat packing her things. Hermione was leaving the Burrow to stay with her parents for a while before starting her research work at the Ministry. She was offered a much higher-paying job as a research analyst for the American Department of Aurors, but that meant leaving Ron or making him quit Auror training and she wouldn’t do that to him. So she had taken the lesser of the two offers and told Ron and Harry she would be working in London where she could see them both. She hadn’t told them about America.



Suddenly Ron entered the room unannounced, quietly closing the door behind him.



“Ronald! Really, I could have been dressing!� she said with a teasing smile, wishing she had been. She stopped short at the serious look on his face. “Ron, what’s the matter?�



He moved her case out of the way and sat down beside her. “Mione,� he said softly, “The Order has a lead on the dark wizard that hurt those women in London.� He took her hand in his.



Hermione shuddered, remembering the news about the most recent witch who had been brutally attacked in her home. “That’s promising. I hope they get him and put him in Azkaban where he belongs.�



Ron sighed and tightened his grip on her hand. Looking up into her eyes, he whispered, “Hermione, I’m going with them.�



~*~



Ron partially covered the sofa with a blanket and, standing, he noticed that Crookshanks was watching him from the hallway where Hermione had disappeared. Ron shook his head and tried, with no luck, to ignore the furry little spy.



“I guess I have to put this somewhere,� he said as he quickly tossed a green pillow directly at the cat. Crookshanks howled and jumped out of the way before the pillow landed on the floor with a swoosh. Ron grumbled as he finished tucking the blankets in and stood to admire his handy work.



It was a mess.



Shrugging, he sat down and, as he did, he heard the bathroom tap come on again. Leaning back into the blankets he sighed loudly. She probably couldn’t hear him anyway.



He became concerned when she didn’t speak right away.



“What?� She half laughed. “Ron, you’ve only just begun your training. You don’t-“



He shook his head as he dropped her hand and stood. “Hermione, they think it’s Draco Malfoy.�



She blinked and her mouth dropped open. “Malfoy… Are they sure?�



Ron nodded, put his hands in his pockets, and began to pace the tiny bedroom. He had to do this. He had to make her understand. Ron recalled the horrible circumstances in which the Muggleborn witches had been killed. Each of them had attended Hogwarts. They had all been top in their class. What if Malfoy came after Hermione and Ron wasn’t there to stop them? He refused to let that happen. After all they had been through together, he wasn’t going to lose her now. He just got her.



“I’m leaving right away. They know where he is. I heard Dad speaking with Remus. He told him that Malfoy’s not alone and that he’s with some former Death Eater friends of his father’s. The Order has a plan and Dad agrees that I may be able to help, though he doesn’t really want me to go either.� Ron kicked the bedpost and winced. “I know him better than they do. I can help, Hermione. I’ve been training now for two months.� His eyes begged her to understand that this was something he had to do.



She stood and looked up at him. “Ronald, you could be dropped from the program if they find out. There’s a reason for that. You’re not ready! Death Eaters are evil personified and you could get hurt or worse- Ronald, please don’t do this.� She grabbed his shoulders and looked up into his eyes. “Let the Order handle this, Ron. Stay and continue your training. It could take months to find Malfoy and even though you won’t be qualified maybe by then you’ll be ready-“



He frowned down at her. He knew she would be mad at him for breaking Ministry rules but it angered him that she would question his ability. After all they had been through, he thought she loved him. He thought she would stand by him. Encouragement was what he was looking for, not doubt. He had enough of that on his own. Maybe she didn’t love him after all.



“Are you saying I can’t handle Draco Malfoy? Do I seem that pathetic to you then?� he hissed.



~*~



The hot water washed away Hermione’s tears but it didn’t take away the pain. Washing her hair, the pain was quickly replaced by anger and she reminded herself that it was his doing, not hers. Had he not insisted on acting like a hero… Had he let the Order handle the situation, they would still be together.



But he wouldn’t relent.



They hadn’t argued in weeks and she recoiled at his harsh tone. Everything had been so wonderful and she wondered why he was acting this way. He was ruining it. “No! I never said-�



Ron cut her off. “Think he can take me then? Or maybe you think we should leave this sort of thing up to Harry,� he sneered.



Stunned that he would say such a thing, she shook her head, “Ron, don’t do this! You’re acting like a child! Even if Malfoy is guilty – you don’t have to get involved. Let the Order handle this-“



He looked stunned. “I’m acting like a CHILD? HE’S A BUTCHER, HERMIONE! I have to help y- them- if I can! Bugger the training! Harry took on Voldemort with no training at all! I’M PRETTY DAMN SURE I CAN HANDLE MALFOY!� His face was red with anger.



She flinched. “That’s not what I meant! Ron -“



He cut her off again. “Hermione – all of those things he said to you in school – everyone he bullied – the things he’s said about my family… I have to do this! I AM doing this!� He turned to face her again with a determined resolve. “It won’t take long. I’ll be back.� He sighed heavily and took her hands in his. “I promise.�



She snatched her hands back as the tears began to fall and she wiped at them angrily. “Ronald, if you do this, I…� she looked down and thought quickly. “ I won’t be here when you get back.� She had to stop him if she could. The Death Eaters had killed so many people in the war, and she wouldn’t let them take Ron from her. She just got him.



He dropped his arms and stood there looking at her. “Hermione, I’m going to do this.�



They hadn’t even been a couple for longer than two weeks and he was already willing to leave her. Maybe he didn’t love her after all.



~*~



Hermione closed her bathrobe tighter as she walked the short distance from the bathroom to her bedroom. She had planned on talking to him about the plan even if she hadn’t been able to think about it yet. Then she saw her red, swollen eyes in the mirror and decided against it. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had broken her heart.



The next morning, Hermione left the Burrow as planned.



Ron hadn’t even said goodbye. His mother had gone on for hours. She would never forgive Arthur for having let Ron do something so reckless. From the determined look in his eyes the night before, Hermione knew that even if his father hadn’t let him, Ron would have found a way.



Still, she couldn’t believe that he hadn’t listened to her. Evidently he didn’t care if she left or not. She came to the painful realization that she must not have meant that much to him after all.



When she arrived back home, she made her decision. With tears in her eyes, she contacted the Ministry and told them she would take the position in America after all.



The Ministry had told her that if she took this assignment, she would be unable to contact her friends for the duration of this long-term assignment with the ADoA by magical means or otherwise – as it could endanger the whole project if she was found out.



She sent one last owl to Harry who had been in France working with Mad Eye Moody on assignment. He sent word back that he was very surprised that she was going so far away, asked her what was wrong and offered to meet her to talk about it. He guessed something had happened with Ron, and, judging by his letter, Hermione surmised he didn’t know about Malfoy. She sent a reply back telling him that she would be fine, not to worry, and when her assignment was done, he would be the first person she contacted.



One month later, she left for her new home in Chicago.



She never did hear from Ron.



~*~



Ron’s mouth turned into a hard line of determination as he switched off the lamp next to the sofa. Obviously she had changed her mind and wasn’t coming out after all. He settled down into the blankets and felt safe enough in the darkness to let the tears fall.



She left me.

All characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing.



Freeze



Chapter 4: Frozen





The next two weeks of Ron’s life seemed to stretch on for months.



He was extremely bored with no one but Crookshanks to talk to, and the walls were starting to cave in on him. During the weekdays, Hermione worked from nine to five at the city’s public library, where she secretly did research work for the American Department of Aurors. On Saturdays she did “volunteer work� at the local bread line. What she didn’t tell Ron was that some of Chicago’s homeless were in fact witches and wizards working for the ADoA. This was their best cover since most Muggles looked the other way upon seeing them. Most homeless that slept on park benches, in doorways and in Union Station were actually undercover Aurors on assignment. Each Saturday, they would report to the bread line where Hermione would turn in her weekly reports on whatever historical Muggle data they might need to track down whomever they were assigned to find.



On Saturday evenings, Hermione would meet Thomas for dinner. Ron turned a blind eye to this and did his best to ignore it. If she wanted this Muggle, she could have him as far as he was concerned. Ron figured once he was a free man, he could return to London and start looking himself. He figured that he had been so busy with work, he’d forgotten about women and that Hermione must have more time on her hands than he did.



Still, he found himself wishing she would talk to him. Or argue with him. Or look at him. She barely did any of those things. In fact, it was as if she was going out of her way to completely ignore him.



One day, after the soaps were over, Ron decided to do a bit of exploring. So he started where anyone else would - in Hermione’s bedroom. He figured, if anything, she would find out and at least yell at him, thus giving him something new to do with his time.



He wasn’t surprised to find that the bedroom had a more feminine side to it than the rest of her home which was very neutral. There was a pink and white quilt lying on a double bed which Crookshanks was lying upon at the moment, a vanity with an old stool under it with green paint chipping off, a stack of large books which formed a crude night stand topped off with a small white lamp, a full-length mirror and a closet. He had to chuckle at the table made of books. Obviously she had so many, she had resorted to building furniture with them.



Ron walked over to the vanity and saw the same hair brush Hermione had used at the Burrow when she had stayed with his family in the summer. She probably used it at Hogwarts as well. He found himself staring at it. Backing up against her bed, he sat down and his head snapped up as he closed his eyes and sighed at its softness.



He missed his bed.



“This is pathetic. Pull yourself together, Weasley,� he scolded himself and got up to return to the living room.



He had no sooner sat on the sofa and turned on the television when Hermione walked in, startling him. She was home unusually early. He was grateful she hadn’t caught him after all.



~*~



Hermione briefly glanced at Ron lounging on her sofa, hung her keys on the hook next to the door as usual, and walked to the kitchen. She prepared tea with her TV blaring in the background as he noisily switched the channels. As she watched the kettle, she realized that it might have been this way had they stayed together. Except the tea would be making itself, there would be no TV, and he would probably still be at work. Harry and Ginny might come over for dinner. They would all laugh just like old times. Ron would kiss her. They would be sharing a bedroom…



The kettle whistle blew and Hermione jumped, brushing the back of her hand against it, causing an immediate burn. She cried out and jumped back, turning the heat off with her other hand. Ron rushed in the room to see what was the matter.



“Are you alright? What happened?� he asked, rushing over to her. He seemed truly concerned and this took her by surprise so much so that it took her mind off of the pain for one split second.



“Oh, it’s nothing, I just touched the kettle – it’s fine.� The pain was horrible. She felt like a baby, holding her wounded hand to herself as she avoided his gaze.



“Nothing – right. Let me see,� and he took her hand to look at it. He winced as he saw the faint white line of burned skin on the back of her hand. “Oh, Hermione… Bloody hell. Sit down. If I had my wand-“



She looked up in alarm. “No, Ron! No magic. Really, it’s nothing,� she winced.



He sighed and shook his head. “Okay… I saw this on the TV the other day. We’ll need ice,� and he went to work immediately, pulling a towel out of a drawer and going to the freezer for some ice.



She stared at his back as he worked, shocked that he seemed genuinely concerned. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. It had nothing to do with the pain in her hand.



He returned again with ice wrapped in the towel and knelt down next to her. “Here now, give this a try – easy…� and he gently placed it on the back of her hand. “Better?� he asked, looking up into her brown eyes. She was crying. It must be worse than he thought. “Do you need a Muggle doctor, do you think? Is it that bad?�



“Oh,� she sniffed and wiped her eyes with the back of her good hand. “It’ll be fine. You must think I’m a baby.� She looked at him and he was smiling.



“No I don’t. It’s a decent burn. Besides, I thought you were just trying to give me something to do.� He was still holding her hand.



His smile took her breath away. Suddenly she needed to know what happened three years ago. Why did he break her heart? “Ron…�



They both jumped as the phone rang. Ron’s smile disappeared as he gently let go of her hand and walked back to the living room. She sat there a moment before picking up. It was her mother. She took the phone to her bedroom and closed the door behind her.



Ron sat on the sofa, staring at the TV but not hearing it. She’d cried out and he went running. After she left him three years ago he didn’t think he would ever talk to her again, let alone paw all over her like a puppy. She must think he was absolutely bonkers. After all, he did.



~*~



Saturday, while Hermione was doing her volunteer work, a Muggle package arrived for Ron. Excited, he tore open the box and stared in awe at his new toy. He had found a way to purchase a Muggle contraption he had seen on the Home Shopping Network; the Xbox 360. It even came with a wizard game called Wizard World and he was anxious to give it a go.



Two hours later, Hermione arrived home, hung her keys next to the door, and turned around to find Ron on the floor with boxes, papers, and her tool kit spread out all around him. He looked up at her, ears red, and mumbled, “Help?�



Sighing, she walked toward the mess, wondering what he had done. Placing her hands on her hips she asked, “What is – oh.� Realization dawned as she realized that he had bought a video game console. Thomas talked about his all the time. Men.



He held up an instruction booklet with one hand and in the other, he held some small cables. “I didn’t think it would be this difficult. But it says to hook these red, yellow and white things in but all I see are buttons, and-“



“Alright, wait a minute…� she cut him off. “My father bought me something similar when I lived back home and I’ve been living here long enough to be able to figure this out. Give me the instructions,� she said as he gladly handed them over.



Fifteen minutes later, with Hermione’s help, they had the game hooked up and together managed to figure out how to work the controls thanks to the instructions. Although she was none too pleased with him for using her credit card to purchase something without her consent, she relented when he told her she could keep it when it came time for him to leave.



She laughed when she saw the game that had come with it. She was used to not using magic by now, but she could tell Ron was going insane. Maybe this was his only outlet.



“Hey, we can both play at the same time,� Ron said as he skimmed the instruction manual.



“I’ve never really liked these things much, Ron,� Hermione said as she made to get up, but he persisted.



“Come on, one game. I don’t even know how to use the bloody thing.�



“I just showed you.�



“Yeah, and how many times have you been able to show me something just once?�



She rolled her eyes at him and huffed, “Fine. One game.�



Two hours later they were still playing, using spells that made no sense to defeat evil trolls (Ron pointed out over and over that the troll he had defeated in Hermione’s honor was much bigger than these) and goblins. Hermione enjoyed the game and found herself laughing, especially when her witch (clad in a bikini top and short skirt) managed to kill more enemies than Ron’s wizard who looked more like a barbarian than any wizard she had ever seen.



“I like your costume, Hermione,� Ron snickered. “Hogwarts should change their school robes.�



She nodded, never taking her eyes from the game. “Yeah, we would have gotten a lot of homework done wearing close to nothing, wouldn’t we?� Her witch simultaneously wounded two goblins with a spell and used physical combat to ward off a third.



Ron smiled and thought to himself, Depends on what kind of homework you’re doing. Out loud, he said, “Remember when you turned yourself into a cat in second year?� The barbarian wizard shouted a spell that made Ron chuckle. Another troll dead.



Hermione couldn’t help but laugh, “Oh my gosh, that was absolutely horrible!� She paused the game to glance at her cat lying on the sofa. “No offense, Crookshanks.�



Suddenly there was a knock on the door that sent Ron into Auror-self-defense mode as he quickly jumped up and reached for his wand – only to remember that Hermione had taken it when he arrived.



“Shh – Ron, it’s okay!� She stood up slowly as her eyes widened . “Thomas! I’d completely forgotten – oh goodness…� She was supposed to meet him twenty minutes ago for dinner and now he’d come to her house. She realized she couldn’t let him in with Ron here.



Thinking quickly, she ran down the hallway and grabbed her robe from the bathroom. She returned, kicked her shoes off, mussed up her hair, and motioned for Ron to keep quiet. There was another impatient knock at the door. Hermione cracked it open three inches and used her scratchiest voice to apologize to Thomas.



“I’m so sorry,� she added a cough for effect, “Thomas, I’ve been so ill this afternoon and I must have fallen asleep. I wonder if we could reschedule?� She clutched her robe tighter so he wouldn’t see her work clothes.



Ron heard Thomas ask if she was okay, if there was anything he could do, maybe come in and tuck her in. Ron clenched his fists causing the knuckles to crack and glared at the door.



“No, no, really I just need to rest. I’ll phone you later, okay?� She faked a weak smile and another cough. “Goodnight.� She closed the door and mentally breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly she wondered what on earth made her break a date with a man she really liked?



She turned and glared at Ron.



Ron whistled innocently and turned away to click off the game console and TV. Crookshanks curled up on the opposite end of the sofa. Hermione took off her robe, laid it on a chair, and picked up her cat taking his place on the sofa and giving him a pat resulting in a loud purr. She took a moment to smooth her own mussed up hair.



Ron stopped whistling and started putting the game and its controls away. He didn’t look at her but merely asked, “Why did you do that?�



“Do what?� She cuddled Crookshanks. Why did I do that?



Ron looked over at her. “Why did you break your date?� Her long brown hair fell in soft waves over one eye as she stroked Crookshanks. He closed his eyes and looked away, pretending to fiddle with the game.



“I don’t know. I… guess I wanted to stay home.� She rolled her eyes at that lame excuse. It hit her like a ton of bricks.



She wanted to stay here with Ron.



“I see.� He straightened to his full height and looked straight at her. “You wanted to try to even the score, did you?�



She looked up, startled. “What?� Crookshanks stopped purring when she stopped patting him.



He motioned to the game console. “I was catching up. Now that I’ve gotten the hang of the controls…� (Hermione rolled her eyes.) “It’s no competition really. Just like Wizard’s Chess back at school.� He grinned at her.



She set a disappointed-looking Crookshanks aside and stood to face him. “Oh yeah?� Grabbing her controller, she turned on the television and then the game console. The Wizard World theme song filled the silence.



“We’ll see about that.�



a/n: Thanks goes out to my new beta, Bjorn.

All characters, settings, etc, are the copyright of JK Rowling and Bloomsbury Publishing.

Freeze

Chapter 5: The Thaw

Hermione sat at her work desk, idly tapping her cheek with a pencil and staring off into space. Ron had been staying at her house now for three weeks, and neither one of them had heard from either Ginny or Harry so they could only assume the Freeze was still in effect. Hermione had gone out with Thomas on Wednesday evening to make up for being “sick� on their previous date. Unfortunately, during the entire evening, she found herself thinking about a certain red head with a gorgeous grin. Ron had grown on her this past week. They had been spending more time together in the evenings, laughing and talking about old times. Neither one had mentioned their breakup, however, and time was running out. Soon the Freeze would be over, Ron would be returning to London, and once again they would be apart.

Hermione sat up straight, took a deep breath, and got back to work.

~*~

Ron wanted this evening to be perfect. He only had another week with Hermione and wanted to do something special for her. So he’d gotten the idea in his head to cook dinner for the two of them. After all, how hard could it be to make a roast dinner using Muggle appliances?

He prepared for the evening by watching the cooking channel all day long, taking notes, and setting out all the proper materials. Hermione had a few cookbooks so he looked those over until he’d found a recipe that didn’t look too difficult. He set the oven temperature to three hundred and fifty degrees, which he found to be easy enough. Except he accidentally turned the broiler on, so instead of the roast cooking gradually, the top dried up, started to sear, and the entire kitchen filled with a light smoke. In a panic, Ron opened a window and used a towel to fan the smoke out as best he could. Crookshanks seemed to find this all very amusing and sat in the kitchen doorway to watch the show.

Hermioine returned home to find the table set for two, a very disgruntled and red-eared Ron sitting with his head in his hands, and a half-burned, half-raw roast in her sink.

“Ronald, what happened? Oh.� As she realized what he’d tried to do, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Well I was trying to cook a meal. It’s my last week here and I wanted to say thank you. For letting me stay here.� He sighed loudly and sat back in his chair. “Instead I almost burned your house down and dinner is ruined.�

Hermione turned her broiler off, gave the roast in the sink a quick glance and then sat down next to Ron. She put a hand on his knee. “Hey, thanks for dinner.� She smiled.

“Yeah, brilliant eh?� He rolled his eyes and snorted but the hand on his knee sent an electric shock through his body.

She stood and grabbed the phone. “I have an excellent idea.�

She ordered a pizza.

~*~

Hermione tip-toed out of her bedroom and crept down the hall in her pajamas. It was late, but moonlight filled the living room and she could see him perfectly as he lay on her sofa, sound asleep. Her eyes grew wide as she noticed he wasn’t wearing a shirt. She sat down on the chair opposite him and watched his breathing for a moment.

She had to know what he was thinking.

Three years ago he had come to her and had laid his feelings on the line. Two weeks after that, he left and shattered her heart. Since she couldn’t sleep, and he wasn’t talking, she figured she would at least find out why before he left and she never saw him again.

Unfortunately it was one in the morning.

She switched on the table lamp. He didn’t move. She cleared her throat. He continued to sleep. Sighing, she got up and sat down next to him on the sofa and shook his shoulder. “Ron.�

He stirred but didn’t open his eyes. Instead, he put his arms around her, placed a hand behind her head and in his sleep proceeded to bring her face to his and give her a thorough kiss. She splayed her fingers on his chest and closed her eyes.

Suddenly, his eyes flew open and he threw her off of him and scrambled up to a seated position. “Hermione! What the bloody hell?�

She landed with a thud on the floor and frowned up at him. “I was trying to wake you up and you grabbed me. It wasn’t my fault!� She stood and brushed herself off. Her lips were on fire.

He ran his hands through his hair and looked at the clock. “What’s the matter? Why were you attacking me at one in the morning in your -� his eyes widened at her white tank top and hip-hugging pajama bottoms, “Night clothes?�

She stomped and corrected him, “Ronald, I wasn’t attacking you! I was trying to wake you. I wanted to talk.� She sat back down on the chair to keep a safe distance and hugged her knees to her chest. Why had she forgotten her robe? She could feel his eyes on her bare skin.

Suddenly he yawned and threw the blanket back. She gasped and turned away but then turned pink once she realized that he was, in fact, wearing pajama bottoms. He grinned at her obvious discovery. Then the grin faded as he realized he had just kissed Hermione in his sleep, and couldn’t remember a damn thing about it.

“Talk, yeah...� He leaned forward, rubbed his eyes and rested his elbows on his knees. He looked her straight in the eye. “Alright. I’ll start.� He was frowning now. “Why did you leave me three years ago?�

Her mouth dropped open. Obviously he had been wanting to talk to her too. “I… because I told you I would leave if you went after Draco Malfoy!� She bit her bottom lip and the tears welled up in her eyes with the memory of their final argument.

“Well you really taught me a lesson, didn’t you?� He was angry now and decided to stand for the rest of this heated discussion. “Hermione, we had just told one another about our feelings after how long,� he began to pace, “And then you run off to America and don’t tell me where you’re going.� He stopped and looked down at her. “You killed me that day, you know. I came back and all I wanted was to hold you and make plans together and you had left me. I still can’t believe you did it.�

She blinked the tears away and stood up to face him “I told you not to go after Malfoy. It was reckless, Ronald! I thought if you really loved me that you would stay with me.�

“THAT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU! I was training to be an Auror, Hermioine. That’s what Aurors do. They chase dark wizards! Malfoy was responsible for all of those brutal attacks, and he belonged in Azkaban. I helped the Order catch him. You didn’t have faith in me! When I came back and you had left, I realized that you never really loved me at all.�

“It’s not that I didn’t have faith in you, Ron! I was scared! I didn’t want to lose you!� She got up and stood directly in front of him. “I was so tired after the war. I had just found you, and I didn’t want to lose you. The investigation involved Death Eaters, and I was petrified!� She looked down and shook her head. How could he think I didn’t love him?

As this registered in Ron’s brain, he turned away from her to think for a moment. “So you decided to go to America? AMERICA, Hermione! What were you thinking?� He sat down and put his head in his hands.

“Ronald, I didn’t tell you or Harry that day, but in addition to the Ministry offering me a position in London, I was also offered a higher-paying job in America working for the ADoA. But I didn’t want to be apart from you! So I took the job in London! When you left me without even batting an eye, I figured you didn’t care about us.� She was shaking. “So I left! I thought that if I were mistaken, you would contact me, but you never did!� Her hands were on her hips as she glared up into his eyes.

He sneered at her. “I’m sorry, Hermione, it took us awhile to find and defeat Malfoy and the Death Eaters. By the time I got back, you were long gone. I can’t even believe…� He trailed off as he turned away from her, shaking his head and grumbling.

She held her ground. “I left England, but I never stopped thinking about you Ron. I’m glad you finished your training. And I’m very proud of you for helping Ginny and Harry.� She looked down and hugged her arms around herself to stop the shaking.

He heard her whisper, “I’m glad you came here. No matter what happens. I’ll never forget you.� The tears fell freely now and she cried in earnest.

Suddenly she was enveloped in his arms, and he rocked her gently from side to side and told her not to cry. But she cried harder, still realizing all the time she had wasted when all either of them wanted to do was be together. Now she had gone and ruined everything. She pushed away from him and ran back to her bedroom where she closed and locked the door. She stood there sobbing, her heart breaking all over again.

She heard him try to open the door, then a brief bit of silence before the door flew open with a loud BANG, making her jump and spin around. He stood there breathing heavily and all at once he was in front of her, pulling her toward him and kissing her fiercely. She kissed him back, running her hands through his hair and up and down his bare back.

He growled deep in his throat as he pressed himself against her. His hands were on her back and under her shirt when he realized he needed to set the record straight, once and for all. He pulled away suddenly and held her face in his hands as he looked into her eyes and said, “I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again: I’ve never met anyone quite like you before, Hermione Granger. I love you. I always have and I always will.�

She sniffed and flashed him a brilliant smile. They were both crying now. “I love you too, Ron. I never stopped. I’m so sorry I left.� Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down for another kiss.

Ron didn’t go back to sleep on the sofa that night. In fact, Ron didn’t go back to sleep at all that night.


Epilogue

The American Department of Aurors agreed to let Hermione transfer back to London. Various homeless folk stopped her on the street to say their farewells and wish her the best of luck overseas. She had made many friends but was looking forward to seeing everyone back home. When she returned home from her last day of work in America, she took out her box of magical items and used her wand to clean her house from top to bottom. Meanwhile, she and Ron made out on the sofa and Crookshanks looked on in total disgust.

Harry and Ginny came by personally to collect Ron and were pleasantly surprised to find out they would be leaving with Hermione as well. Hermione scolded Harry for not contacting her before or after their wedding, after which Harry apologized and reminded Hermione how easily your brain turns to mush when you’re crazy in love. This excuse worked, and she backed off.

Thomas wasn’t surprised when Hermione told him she would be moving away soon. He said deep down he had sensed her heart was elsewhere. He wished her the best of luck in England. Mrs. Crowley, however, told Hermione she was looking forward to a new neighbor who didn’t have wild parties every night of the week.

~*~

Two months later, after Ron and Hermione got a flat together in London, a home warming gift arrived from Harry and Ginny with a note attached telling them that the Freeze had never actually been necessary.

Once again, Harry and Ginny had come through for Ron and Hermione. And once again, Ron and Hermione were grateful for the help. ~*~


a/n: Thanks for reading, folks. Thanks again to Grimmrook for the help – it was much appreciated. Peace out.