Some Things Are Unexplainable
"Ron, how are we supposed to tell them?" Hermione half-moaned to him as they made their way towards the train. It was the end of their sixth year at Hogwarts, and everyone was returning home for the summer holidays.
Around Easter, Ron had confronted Hermione and had a talk with her, and now they were together. And for the past three weeks, the two of them worried about how they would tell Ron's family, let alone his mum.
It wasn't that she wouldn't approve, because Ginny has reassured them both many times that everyone had already been betting on it for years, it was that neither of them wanted to be embarrassed by the situation. It had been hard enough telling Harry and Ginny.
And now they had the whole train ride ahead of them to come up with a plan. After loading their trunks onto the train and saying their farewells to Hagrid, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny took their seats among Neville, Luna, Dean, and Seamus.
This time, no one pulled out the Exploding Snap, and no one played cards. The eight occupants were in small groups scattered around the compartment; Harry and Ginny sat close to Ron and Hermione, Dean and Seamus sat on the floor looking at Quidditch books, and Luna sat next to Neville, neither of them said a word while Luna perused through another issue of the Quibbler.
Their talking was hushed so that the groups could not hear another's conversation, but Neville sat upright, listening intently to various groups and occasionally sneaking a peek at Luna's magazine. Harry and Ginny were discussing their summer plans, though they were both going to the same place once again – the Burrow. Dean and Seamus debated over Quidditch teams and their current standings in nationals, and this time Ron didn't put in a single word about the Chudley Cannons.
Instead, he sat slumped on a seat facing Hermione. They appeared to be staring at each other, though they were both attempting to come up with ways to break the news to Ron's family. Or at least Hermione was, there's no telling what goes on in Ron's head.
Hermione sat with her head rested in the palms of her hands, her elbows propped up on her knees. If one didn't known better, one would have thought she was either asleep (with her eyes open) or day dreaming about a certain red-head who sat right before her eyes.
The deathly silence in the carriage broke when the lady who works the food trolley slid the door open.
"Is anyone up for some lunch?" she inquired politely, looking from face to face to face. Neville, Hermione, and Dean handed her some sickles, took their requested food, and returned to their seats. Hermione handed the bag of chocolate coins to Ron, who tore open the wrapping savagely and gnawed away. She laughed; Ron was amusing to watch when he was eating. Within two minutes, the bag was empty.
"Have you thought of anything yet?" Hermione asked him, not expecting an answer.
"Yeah," he answered, taking Hermione by surprise, "Why don't we just tell them?" He licked his lips of chocolate.
"We were going to do that in the first place," she reminded him. Then he gave her a look as if to say 'you know what I mean'. "Just right there? You want to tell them right there?"
"Might as well get it over with," Harry interjected. Apparently he and Ginny had been listening.
"We wouldn't have to be doing this if it weren't for you two," Ron scowled. Ginny have a triumphant humph. Leave it to her to give her brother exactly what he desired.
"So you're saying you don't like this?" Hermione teased. Ron turned red in the ears.
"So that's settled. We'll just tell them," Ron stamped the situation, turning back to Hermione, away from Harry and his sister. Hermione smiled weakly.
"Right at King's Cross. We'll tell them right at King's Cross," Hermione repeated. She was nervous about this whole thing. Just because she had fancied Ron for so long without even realizing it didn't mean she knew how to cope with actually being together. Sure, she'd been one of his best friends for nearly six years, but this was different, much different.
Ron nodded and slouched back into his seat, closing his eyes. He wasn't the only exhausted one.
It was nearly seven o'clock when the train halted to stop at King's Cross Station in London. Many aboard gathered their own belongings and said their farewells. Some of the girls broke into tears, Cho Chang among them, as it had been their final year at Hogwarts. Even some of the boys hugged, though it was usually in a larger group that had a girl in it as well.
Ron awoke to an empty compartment, except for one other small detail. Hermione was dozing lightly on his left shoulder. Trying not to startle her, he shifted his body weight and gently tapped her on the shoulder. She slowly slid her eyelids open and jerked her head up.
"Sorry," she muttered, looking away from him. She may be his girlfriend, but she still felt embarrassed about things that you weren't supposed to be embarrassed about when you're a couple. She blushed, the color spreading throughout her face.
"I don't mind," he told her, shrugging. He didn't mind at all. He'd rather enjoyed waking up and seeing her asleep, and comfortably at that, on his shoulder.
"Maybe we should get off the train so the rest don't worry," she reasoned. Or get suspicious, she finished her thought. She smiled to herself.
"Right." They picked up whatever was left in the compartment and carried it off the train with them.
"Bye dears, see you in September!" the food trolley lady said to the two joyously as she cleaned up the cart. Ron and Hermione waved good-byes to her and headed towards the exit.
Hermione stepped off first, with Ron right behind her. Her eyes studied the crowds, searching for the Weasleys and the Order.
Ron was the one to spot them, and he pointed to them over Hermione's shoulder. She grabbed his other hand behind her back for luck, squeezed it, and let it drop. Her level of nerves was rising with every step.
As they rolled their trunks over to the group, which consisted of Mrs. Weasley, Lupin, Tonks, Moody, and now Harry and Ginny, many thoughts ran through Hermione's mind. What if they don't want us like this? What if Mrs. Weasley is angry and she won't talk to me over the summer? What if they don't take us seriously? she thought, though she knew none of that would ever happen. She tried to put on a smile, but failed.
"Hi mum," Ron greeted Mrs. Weasley, acting as if nothing was about to happen. "Sorry we got off the train so late."
Hermione nodded in agreement, standing next to Ron. She imagined that she must have looked like an idiot at that moment.
"How was the train ride?" Lupin asked the four of them.
"It was fine, we got some food off the trolley around noon," Harry told him.
"We sat with Neville and Luna again," Ginny piped in, making up for both Ron's and Hermione's silence.
"No attacks from the ferret boy this time, I assume?" Moody questioned, chuckling.
"Nope," Harry told him, after no response from either of his best friends. "Malfoy's a bit scared of us lot after last year."
"Did they announce the Head Girl and Boy yet, or are they waiting to send letters over the summer?" Mrs. Weasley asked, directing the question at Hermione. Ron shoved his elbow into hers after she didn't answer.
"Oh, no, we'll find out over the summer," she finally informed her, though she was sure that Mrs. Weasley knew that already, after so many kids at Hogwarts over the past years.
"Ron," Moody growled. Ron bolted his head up from whatever occupying him. Moody glared at him and said no more, he just gave a sly and provoking smile.
"Mum," Ron suddenly approached her. Hermione pushed her hair off her face. She knew the moment was coming. "What would you say if-"
Hermione cut him off. "Mrs. Weasley, Ron and I are, well, together," she admitted, relieved it was off her chest. She quickly glanced up at the group, then looked back down.
"Alleluia!" Ginny practically shouted. A group of second years glanced at her, then slowly inched away.
Mrs. Weasley, putting on her caring motherly face, walked over to Hermione and wrapped her arm around her shoulder. Hermione was about to go to tears. She still couldn't distinguish what the rest were feeling. She wiped a tear off her cheek, overcome with happiness and relief all at once. All she wanted to do was squeeze the guts out of Ron, she was so overjoyed. This was the happiest moment she'd had in a long time.
"Welcome to the family," Mrs. Weasley said, facing her.
And as the group left the platform, both Ron and Hermione were happy with the reactions of Ron's family. Even Ginny nearly slapping Ron for taking so long couldn't bring down the height of feeling. Even Moody was smiling.
After six long years, some things are unexplainable.
Fin.