Hermione felt something brush against her cheek. She them remembered Ron. She opened her eyes to see him propped on an elbow looking down at her.
“You are lovely” He smiled sweetly.
“You are too” She replied. “What are you doing?”
Ron smiled, “Watching you sleep.”
She felt a bit embarrassed. What if she had been drooling or snoring? “Why?”
“Trying to let it sink in that I’m actually home with you, that’s all” He kissed the tip of her nose.
Hermione blushed and kissed his chin. “It’s been a long time coming.”
“I smell food, I’m hungry.” Ron rolled out of bed.
Hermione watched his trim body walk across the room. He reached into his trunk pulling out some muggle clothing he had acquired thanks to Hermione. He pulled on his jeans and jumper turning to her.
"Come on, Get up” He coaxed. He reached over pulling a robe from her closet and tossed it in her direction. “After last night we both need nourishment.”
She still was a bit shy. She hoped it wouldn’t take long for her to become completely comfortable talking out loud about the things that had taken place last night. She stood up still embarrassed to have him see her naked.
“I don’t remember it being that good; I guess time apart was good for the relationship.”
She began blushing thinking he could shut up anytime. But then again this was just proof that he was completely comfortable with her.
**********
“Are you okay?” Harry asked Ginny as they dressed. He didn’t really know why he asked that, he had never had brothers or anyone else for that matter to help him understand what he should say or do to comfort Ginny after the first time. He surely couldn’t go to any of is adopted family, for obvious reasons.
“Yeah, Why?” She looked at him,
“I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t…. well” He felt the heat in his face.
“Harry, “ She walked over to him, “You were wonderful. You were gentle, and I love you for that.” She reached up and kissed him not wanting to leave this room.
Harry took a deep breath, “Something smells great. Let’s go, I’m famished.” He took her hand and they walked into the hall.
**********
Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen guiding plates to the table carefully. She tried to keep her mind off of the couples that remained upstairs. Yes, they were adults, but she would like to see them married. That was coming soon though she assured herself. They’ve been apart so long. She remembered what it was like to have a young love. She and Arthur still felt young at times. She felt her face warming up at the thought of the times that she and her husband had spent together.
“Come on!”
She heard voices. Voices that she was glad to have home. Harry and Ron burst into the kitchen wrestling their way to the table nearly knocking dishes to the floor.
“You two are going to break something” Hermione scolded behind them.
“Oh okay MUM!” Ron mocked her.
“Ronald Weasley - Harry Potter” Both looked up to see Mrs. Weasley staring them down.
“Sorry Mum”
“Sorry Mrs. Weasley” They both sat down quickly.
Hermione strolled over and sat beside Ron looking pleased with herself. This reminded the two of them of the times back at Hogwarts. She was always the one to keep a level head and not act a fool. They thought they should appreciate that she saved their necks more than once because of her knowledge and concern of the rules; then again this didn’t stop them from teasing her about it.
Harry leaned over to Ron, “Just like school, always making us look bad.”
Ron chuckled, “Yeah”
Hermione shot Harry a glance that told him she could probably whip him right now. “You don’t need my help to look bad; you two can do that yourselves.” And she then stuck her tongue out at him just as if they were children again.
“OOOOOO, she stuck her tongue out,” Rose had entered the room.
“Yeah, Mum did you see that?” Ron was laughing inside that miss perfect got caught doing something childish. “What about her?”
“I didn’t see anything?” Ginny laughed.
Rose climbed up to her seat, “Let’s eat, I’m starving.” She still had on the robes from the night before.
Mrs. Weasley just shook her head and let the child be.
“Ron, she has an appetite like you.” Ginny looked over. “It’s hard to believe she’s only four and a girl.”
“I got to get strong so I can be an Auror like Ron and Harry.” she smiled and starting to stuff loads of food into her mouth.
“What is on the agenda for you lot?” Mrs. Weasley asked.
“Ginny and I have taken holidays so that we can spend more time with these two.” Hermione said ecstatically.
Ron and Harry didn’t have to report to work for two weeks.
“Oh, that will be splendid” Mrs. Weasley was hoping to get to spend some time with them as well.
After breakfast the group decided to go to the Ministry just to look around.
“Mum, come with us?” Ron asked.
“I have things here to do; you all go on and have fun. Rose and I need to work on a few things.” She kissed him and thanked him for the invite anyway.
With that they apparated to the front steps of the Ministry.
Ron looked up amazed. He and Harry would soon be working here. The ridicule they had endured at the hands of Draco Malfoy had made this day a happy one. The right people were now calling the shots. Thanks to his Dad and other Order members the Malfoy family and other Death Eaters would pay for their crimes for years to come.
Hermione looked at Ron almost able to read his thoughts exactly. His family has struggled for so long. They deserved this. The Wizarding world deserved to have a great man like Mr. Weasley to look out for them.
“Oh look dear,” a lady coming down the stairs pointed at them pulling on her husband’s sleeve. “That’s Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.”
Hermione noticed Ron’s chest swell a bit. With Harry around he had never gotten much attention. The lady ran to them.
“Oh you boys don’t realize what you have done for our kind. Miss Granger, you have grown to be a lovely lady. And Miss Weasley, I’ve seen you in the pictures of the Daily Prophet.”
The ladies husband finally spoke. “Now, Matilda, you’re scaring them.” He then turned his head in their direction, ”she gets a bit emotional, you know.”
Harry spoke first, “That’s quite alright. We’re all just glad to know we could help.”
Harry had wanted nothing more then to avenge the deaths of his parents, Hermione’s parents, Sirius and all the other innocent lives. As much as he loved Ginny and would hate to leave her, he would gladly put his life on the line again. He still had dreams at times about the night his parents died. He also had burned in his memory, the look on Hermione’s face when she had found out her parents were dead. He could still see Sirius falling into the veil. He never mentioned the nightmares. They were all trying to get on with their lives.
“Help! Well, you did more than help.” The man gasped. “My dear man, you saved us all. And we will always be grateful for that.”
The couple nodded, smiling and walked on, the lady still speaking frantically to her husband.
They continued down the halls to the Minister’s office along the way. Witches and Wizards were bowing low and talking under their breath. They had obviously recognized the four of them.
“Hey! Ron and Harry”
They both turned their heads in the direction of the voice.
“Is that….?” Hermione started.
“It sure is,"Ron finished “Neville”
Neville Longbottom was a classmate of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s during their time at Hogwarts. He was a bit of an odd character always having things backfire on him, but a loyal friend indeed. He shared the dormitory with Ron and Harry for seven years and even at one point had a bit of a crush on Hermione. He now looked a bit more sure of himself, sporting white robes, obviously from St. Mungo’s Hospital.
“It has been ages “ Neville continued “Seen the article in the Prophet. Congratulations”
“What article?” Harry questioned him.
“This one” he flung the paper at them smiling.
The four of them closed in together around the paper.
Breaking News
By Lavender Brown
Boy heroes, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley have just finished their extensive five year Auror training. The pair returned home just yesterday to their lovely fiancées. Yes ladies, they are both taken. Before leaving five years ago the dynamic duo proposed to their long time girlfriends promising themselves to one another. Mr. Potter is taken by none other than Miss Ginny Weasley, daughter of the Minister of Magic, Arthur Weasley. Mr. Weasley, the youngest son of the Minister is engaged to the third of their triangle Miss Hermione Granger. The couple along with Mr. Potter were practically inseparable during their time at Hogwarts.
The details of the upcoming weddings have yet to be released. Being that I’m an ex-classmate and roommate of Miss Granger, I’m hoping to get an interview in the near future, so keep your eyes open.
They all looked at Neville amazed.
“Uh, Thanks Neville,” Harry stuttered. “It’s strange how people want to know so much about us.”
Well Harry they have always been fascinated by you, and now that you all played a big part in defeating Voldemort, you’re really news. You all did things that full grown wizards couldn’t do.”
“You were with us, Neville. You deserved recognition just as much as we do.” Harry had always had a soft spot for Neville. He had always been made the butt of everyone’s jokes, but he was a loyal friend as well. He had lost his parents at the indirect hand of Voldemort. Although they remained in St. Mungo’s they would never regain their minds completely.
“Thanks, Harry” Neville was truly grateful for the Harry had always taken up for him. They all had. “Well,” Neville shook each of their hands and made sure to hug Hermione and Ginny. “Hope to see you around. I’m working at St. Mungo’s with the medical plants.” He turned to dash off waving as he did so.
“There they are!” screamed a lady sitting behind the desk of Arthur Weasley’s office. “The Minister will be excited to see you all. O, we are so excited to have you two back.” She ushered them through the large double doors leading to Mr. Weasley’s private office.
Mr. Weasley’s office was a large area with a desk covered in files in one corner and a large sitting area near the fireplace. This was where meeting were held.
Mr. Weasley ushered them all in “Please sit down, I needed a break” eyeing the files. He led them to the overstuffed chairs where they all seated themselves comfortable. “What do you think?” He waved his hand around the room.
“Look’s great Mr. Weasley,” Harry was truly impressed.
Harry remembered the previous Minister, Cornelius Fudge, thinking this was not the way he left it. Harry was sure that this place was filled with gaudy trinkets and showy items. Much like the things that he remembered sitting around the Dursley’s house. These things weren’t’ there because they liked them, they were there to impress the clients that his Uncle Vernon had always brought home. Mr. Weasley didn’t’ have such items. It was simple and tasteful. Pictures of his children were placed around the room. Looking up on the mantle he even noticed a picture of himself with Ginny taken the night he and Ron had left. And flanking it was another much like it, although looking out of the frames smiling was Ron and Hermione.
Ron noticed the pictures as well. “We will need to get a better picture to replace that one.” He had noticed his hair was not at its tamest.
“As soon as I get one” Mr. Weasley had now sit in an empty armchair. “So, what sites are you out to see today?”
“I would love to see Hermione’s office” Ron obviously proud of her, although the S.P.E.W. thing had gotten on his nerves in school.
Hermione fought back the urge to stutter “Oh not now! You’ll have plenty of time for that,” she didn’t know what else to say. Her office isn’t actually the place she wanted Ron to visit.
Ginny saw Hermione’s face and knew that her friend wanted help. “What’ll you say we go to my office, I’m sure it will be more interesting. Working in the magical games dept. I’ve been spending a lot of time with the Chudley Cannons.”
“Let’s go then,” Ron looked eager “Maybe we’ll get lucky and some team members will be there.”
“Well then, hope you do” Mr. Weasley walked them to the door. “See you at dinner”
The four of them said their goodbyes and continued down the hall to Ginny’s office.
Mr. Weasley watched as they continued their tour of the place and disappeared around a corner.
A/N This chapter is a bit slow, but I promise the next is a "barrell of monkeys". Hope you enjoy!! Thanks to those of you who have reviewed. I really apppreciate it.