Hermione's first day working for Malfoy seemed to drag on and Ron had never seen the cafe so quiet. Whether it was actually quiet or whether everything seemed to be running in slow motion he wasn't sure but one thing he did know was the he was near having an anxiety attack and kept checking his phone every few minutes, desperate for a message from Hermione. She didn't text him all day, however and by the time he shut the cafe up for the night and headed home, he was surprised he wasn't pulled over for the speed he was going. Turning into their street, he slowed down – he didn't want Hermione to be looking out the window as he sped into their driveway. He climbed out and walked up the path as slow as his feet would let him and hoped he looked casual. Inside, his thoughts were swirling around a mile a minute and all he could picture was Hermione inside packing her bags, telling him she was leaving him for Malfoy.

It didn't seem to matter how many times Hermione told him that Malfoy was not for her, ever since he had come on the scene Ron had been worried and the feeling only increased after Malfoy had let out that he was somewhat interested in Hermione. Ron wondered then how interested he was; did he want a relationship with her or was it purely the chase that got him? Ron's feelings of insecurity were a part of him he was almost ashamed of however much Hermione told him not to worry. Growing up with older brothers that always did everything first and then a sister who was practically perfect in every way – despite her temperament – was something that was hard to grow out of and it was rare that he ever felt completely safe within a relationship, be it with a girl or with friends.

He shook his head as he opened the front door and was greeted with the smell of curry. He grinned to himself and walked into the kitchen finding Hermione at the stove stirring away. He came up behind her and hugged her, receiving a kiss in return.

"Smells good, Hermione." Ron said and sat at the table, spotting a few letters and opening them. His foot started tapping on the floor as he struggled not to ask the question he was dying to ask. He didn't want her to think he had been thinking about it all day, even though he had. He was worried she would be angry if she knew he'd been paranoid all day and imagining both Hermione and Malfoy running away together.

"Hopefully it will taste good too. How was your day?" She asked and Ron fought to keep his voice even as he replied.

"Oh, you know. It was pretty quiet today, which was unusual for a Thursday but it worked out okay because Grace phoned in sick." He replied and Hermione poured them both out a drink. Ron tossed aside the bills he had opened and accepted his, downing it in one and Hermione's eyes widened.

"Steady there." She said laughing and Ron laughed back, ignoring the increasing feeling of worry in his stomach. Had she prepared this meal for him so that she could break it to him while he ate? Did she feel guilty already? He watched her as she dished their meals up, the smells wafting over to him and causing his stomach to make angry growling noises. With a jolt he realised he hadn't had any lunch and he wondered briefly what he had been doing if not eating. Hermione handed over his plate and took the seat opposite him and began eating.

"Thanks." He said and took a mouthful before deciding he couldn't wait any longer. "How was your day?" He asked and ducked his head, tucking into his food and avoiding her eyes.

"Oh, it was alright. I spent most of the day being shown around the school and then the paper work – it's crazy, Ron. There's so much to fill in just for one student who comes in but I don't mind, the writing is quite therapeutic." She told him and he felt himself relax slightly as she spoke.

"How – er – how was Malfoy?" Ron asked tentatively and Hermione sighed.

"Alright, I guess. I didn't actually see him all that much so that was okay." Ron waited for her to keep talking but it seemed that was all she was willing today and they ate in silence.

The rest of the week and the weekend passed over quickly and Ron was disappointed to wake up on Monday morning and watch Hermione getting ready to go to work once more with Malfoy. He soon got used to it however and by the end of the week, he had stopped asking her how Malfoy was and Hermione surprised him that Friday. He was sat in his office at the cafe looking online at nothing in particular when she text him and asked if he could meet her outside the school in ten minutes. He glanced at the time and shut his laptop down, saying goodbye to both June and Kieran and leaving in his car.

Ron pulled up in front of the school and climbed out, searching the gates and entrance to the school for a familiar face. He found one but it was not the one he wanted and the pale face of Malfoy sneered at him as the stood in front of each other, Malfoy blocking Ron's way.

"Excuse me." Ron said through gritted teeth and avoided his eye.

"I doubt there's any excuse for you." Malfoy returned, his voice coming out in a drawl as usual. "Has she left you yet?" Ron ignored him and pushed past him, walking towards the office he could see in front of him. "We kissed, you know."

Only those words could have stopped him in his tracks and he turned around to see Malfoy's grinning face looking at him. He strode back over to him and Ron glared at him, desperately searching his face for proof that he was lying. There was none.

"You're lying." Ron spat, determined not to show that Malfoy had got to him.

"I never lie, Weasel. It happened today – why do you think she's finishing early? She couldn't resist me, I'm afraid. We almost went further but I didn't want to start our relationship as a lie. Looks like you'll be on your own soon enough." With one last sneer in Ron's direction, Malfoy turned and walked away, Ron glaring at his back.

"Ron?" Hermione stood behind him, watching as Ron turned around to face her with a pained expression on his face. "What did Malfoy want?" He couldn't speak – the rational side of him was telling him to ask her if it was true, telling him it was most likely a lie, but the other part of him – the part that won in this instance – told him to run. So that's what he did.

He barely got out of the gates when he felt a force from behind him and was thrown to the ground, his head barely missing the concrete as his hands came flying out to stop himself. He felt a weight on his back and groaned, his hands red and sore as he attempted to push himself up. The weight lifted and he turned to see Hermione on the ground next to him, her hair flying everywhere and an angry look on her face.

"What are you doing?" He nearly yelled, the pair of them rubbing various sore spots on their bodies and Ron glanced around at the few students who were watching them sat on the sidewalk.

"I had to stop you somehow!" Hermione screeched back and Ron cringed. "You were just going to run away again and I am sick to death of it."

"Of what? I was only doing what you were going to eventually do anyway!" He shouted back, his face now red as anger over Malfoy's comment came rushing back to him, the pain in his joints disappearing for the moment. "He told me what you did!"

"Oh, he did, did he?" She spat back and furiously stood up, Ron following suit. "Did he also tell you that he came on to me? Did he tell you that I had to force him off me?"

"What? No! He told me that you kissed – that you wanted to go further – that you were going to leave me!" His last comment came out quieter than the rest and he looked away from her, furious at himself for being so emotional on the side of the road.

"Get in the car." Ron looked up, surprised to see her pointing at his car parked not far away from them and the tone of her voice made him obey immediately. He walked over and unlocked it and they both climbed in, Ron starting the engine though not knowing where he was going. He pulled into the traffic, pleased to leave the staring eyes of the students behind and drove for what seemed like miles. Hermione sat silent next to him though he could hear her breathing heavily – a clear sign she was still angry. Before long they found themselves out of town and in the country, the green landscape stretching out all around them.

"Pull over when you can." Hermione said bluntly and Ron drove for another ten minutes passing several parking spots on the way just to spite her. He had no idea what was going on – whether or not Malfoy was lying, though the rational part of his beginning to wake up and tell him that he was a prat for believing Malfoy for even a second. After what seemed like an eternity since she had spoken, Ron pulled over to the side of the road as rain started to fall. He had parked next to a paddock and he realised he preferred the animals dotted around the grass as spectators rather than high school students.

They sat in silence, the only sound was the rain on the car roof and Ron fiddling with the keys. He felt his anger disappearing to be replaced with sadness – he didn't want to lose Hermione, that much he knew. It was this thought that caused him to turn to her and speak.

"What happened?"

She didn't answer straight away and Ron looked away from her and out the window, the few cars that were driving past providing a small distraction. He wanted to yell out in anger at Malfoy, to demand Hermione tell him what had happened but something stopped him and he simply waited.

"I was working on the computer, typing up something on a student's file. He came in and asked if he could see me in his office. Mine is open – glass walls so others can see in. I talk to the student's in a separate room but I mainly work where everyone else can see me. His office is shut off from everything and I hate going in there." She explained and Ron turned to look at her, waiting for her to continue. She didn't look at him though he was glad of this, not sure what he would say if he could see what was in her eyes. "I went in and he started going on about how much he's always liked me, that he thinks I'm this and I'm that. I just brushed it off and tried to leave but he stopped me. He stood in front of the door and wouldn't let me out."

"That fu-"

"Let me finish. I tried to push past him and he tried to kiss me. I slapped him – hard – and told him what I thought of him." She finished and Ron felt his mouth hanging open. "I told him I was quitting and when he brought up the contract I explained how I could get out of it. He stormed out – that's when I messaged you – and came back later as I was packing up my desk. He called me a few names and left after telling me he never wanted to see me again. I followed not long after and that's when I spotted him talking to you."

"Hermione, I –"

"Listen to me." She said firmly and looked at him, taking his hands in hers. "I am getting sick of saying this to you. I love you, Ronald Weasley. Does that mean nothing? I have told you over and over that Malfoy is a slimy git that teased me at school and treated me like dirt. I have no intentions of 'falling' for him nor will I ever have any sort of romantic intentions towards him. He is manipulative and whatever he told you would be purely because I slapped him and quit."

"I know and –"

"I'm not done. If we are going to work, you have to trust me. You need to get it into your head that you are the person I love and want to be with. I moved in with you and I told you that's something that is a big deal for me but still you believe Malfoy over me. I know you get jealous and it's hard for you but I have told you so many times what my feelings are." She stopped talking and Ron waited a second, not sure she was done. When there was silence for another moment, he started talking.

"I'm sorry." It was only two words but the emotion in his voice surprised even him and Hermione must have picked up on it. She squeezed his hands tight and kissed him softly, giving him a small smile. "I've never felt like this about someone and I couldn't handle hearing those things about you and him together. Jealousy is something I need to work on, I know but know this – I trust you, okay?"

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder, the rain now coming down louder than ever and any other sounds were drowned out by it. Hermione sat up and Ron glanced at her as she gestured for them to leave. As they drove home, things felt different between them. Though not many words had passed between the two, Ron felt as if they had a new understanding of each other and that it was something that was for the better. Though it still grated him to think of Malfoy and Hermione together, he knew for sure that she wasn't going anywhere – especially now that she had left the job. He smiled slightly at how lucky he was and reached over to take Hermione's hand, squeezing it softly and receiving a smile in return. They were going to be okay.

6 Months Later.

"Ron! Are you sure we're supposed to be here?" Hermione hissed as they made their way through the dark corridors of the Onslow Village library. The manager in charge for the day was a regular at the cafe and Ron had asked him for a big favour that morning. Now, though it was nearing midnight, Ron and Hermione crept through the shelves of books, Hermione pausing every few moments to look at book on display before Ron pulled her into the centre of the library. She gasped slightly at the sight in front of her.

Ron had been in earlier and set it up, making sure everything was perfect. He had laid a blanket on the floor in the middle of the opening where the shelves ended, having cleared the tables earlier. On the blanket were a few candles along with a meal prepared by Kieran that morning. They walked forward, Hermione with her mouth open in shock and sat down together.

"Ron, I don't under – "

"Listen to me, Hermione." He interrupted and she looked at him, tears beginning to sparkle in her eyes. "It's been nearly a year now – I know it's not our anniversary today but I couldn't wait – and I love you so much. You make me so happy, and seeing you so happy in your new job makes me happy too. I can't believe how lucky I am that I still have you and I wanted to do something to make sure you were always mine."

Hermione let out a small cry as Ron pulled a small box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a small ring with small diamonds set across it. Tears leaked down her face and Ron felt his voice crack as he spoke.

"Will you marry me, Hermione?" He asked and the question was barely out of his mouth before Hermione flung herself around his shoulders, forcing the air out of him as she squeezed him tightly.

"Yes, you silly man. Of course I will!" She gushed and kissed him several times, pulling away so that Ron could put the ring on her finger. "But how did you set all of this – "

"Later." He said, pulling her in to hug her once more and she admired the ring on her finger. Ron looked down at her smiling and felt his heart lift. A year ago, he wouldn't have imagined that he would meet someone so wonderful nor that she would love him as much as he came to love her. He reflected on how quick their relationship developed, wondering fleetingly if it was too quick but as Hermione lifted her head up and kissed him softly, he decided he didn't care. Whether or not this was love at first sight, all that mattered was the girl in his arms.

Naww. So. We come to the end. I hope you don't think this is a lame ending – this is pretty much how I wanted it to go and I only changed it slightly from when I first started it. It's a short chapter but it fits in with the whole story really because the chapters were all a bit short. I am really proud of myself – I never, ever write chapter stories and this is my first one that I have finished, so go me! I just want to say thank you SO much to everyone who has read this story and kept reading it, to everyone who put it on their favourites list and to those who put it on their story alert list. A BIG thank you to those who reviewed – your reviews mean the world to me and they helped so much! Thank you so much! All the best, Chloe :)