Disclaimer: Anything that you recognise is JKR's sob

After the Battle: Ron and Hermione

Chapter One: Laughter and Confessions

"Well, now he can't have any more secrets."

Ron joked as they sat in the deserted Gryffindor Common Room, discussing Harry's ordeal.

Hermione punched him lightly on the arm but it hurt all the same.

"Ouch!"

She was immediately sincere.

"Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry. Let me see…"

She breathed in sharply at the sight of the cuts and tender bruising.

"Epifsky."

Ron gave a sigh of relief and collapsed back in his armchair. Hermione, holding onto him and fell into his lap as he roared with laughter at her expense but abruptly stopped as they realised their faces were mere inches apart.

"Hermione…"

"Yes?"

Ron took a deep breath and looked straight into her eyes.

"It's over. All of it. No more danger or,"

He seemed to choke on his next words.

"Or death."

This realisation hit her too. Finally everything was going to be alright.

"Things can go back to normal."

"Since when have things ever been normal?"

They both gave little breathy laughs.

Ron seized her hand in his and a pleasant tingling sensation spread through her.

"Close your eyes."

His voice was hoarse but she complied. She felt his soft breath on her cheek and then his lips brushed her, ever so gently and tenderly. It was a simple, chaste kiss but the things it conveyed went straight to her frantically racing heart.

For once, her head had nothing to do with it. She didn't think if some-one came in and saw them or the pain of their injuries – she noticed that his bottom lip was split, the wound mere hours old.

Just the kiss. Their second one but none the less…Them – she liked the sound of it. It lasted no longer than a second but the promise behind it could not be mistaken.

Her eyelids fluttered open and she saw Ron staring apprehensively at her. The look in his eyes scared her as much as it warmed her, so she buried her face in his soft shoulder, her arms about his neck. His own arms came about her and he kissed the top of her head, his face now buried in her bushy hair.

He rocked her gently, as he would a small child and it felt like years before she could lift her head. When she did, there was something akin to awe in his expression.

She raised one of her hands to brush his cheek and, though it was rough and ingrained with dirt from a hard battle, she couldn't seem to pull away – even if she had wanted to.

His eyes, she noticed, were the most amazing blue and, quite involuntarily, her other hand slid down to rest on his chest, which was lean and muscular from years of Quidditch.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned in and was stunned to see him doing the same, expertly tilting his head and raising one hand to the nape of her neck, guiding her. Their lips met and suddenly there was nothing but her and Ron.

This kiss was passionate and they eagerly drank each other in, making up for several years of lost time.

Reluctantly, they pulled back but stayed entwined in the armchair, Hermione on Ron's lap.

After a few minutes, the comfortable silence was broken.

"How long?"

She had to know. How long he'd…

"First time I noticed it was second year."

He talked about it so casually. At her questioning glance, he elaborated.

"When you were petrified and I was so scared you weren't going to wake up."

He chuckled at the memory of his young self.

"But probably before that."

"For me, it was first year."

"Really?"

He looked startled but pleasantly so. He grinned even more broadly as she shifted from where she was curled up in his lap.

"Really. Since I saw that silly bit of dirt on your nose."
She sighed happily. They both laughed as she reached up and tweaked it.

"You were just so…"

"Charming, handsome, intelligent?"

She shook her head.

"Just so you. The red hair and the horrible sandwiches."

She smiled as he wrinkled his nose as the memory.

"And the second-hand robes and your stubbornness…"

"You're the most stubborn person I know, even more than Mum!"

"…and a fake spell…"

She giggled.

"Sunshine daisies, butter mellow,"

He screwed up his face to try and remember the next line.

"Turn this stupid fat rat yellow!"

He finished triumphantly.

"Should have known it wouldn't work."

She could tell he was thinking about Fred. He balled his hand into a fist and she took it in her own, smoothing it open. She looked closely at it, noting the freckled, tanned skin on the back and the calluses from yet more long hours of Quidditch. Though, she mused, he probably thinks they fly by like when we're in the library. She realised just how large his hands were, so big that hers were dwarfed in comparison.

She started out of her reverie by one of the same warm hands stroking her hair. Then he leant forward and captured her lips with his. She dropped his hand and ran hers through his lovably red hair, pressing them together.

Hermione couldn't remember ever having been kissed so deeply or so loving. Viktor had been a perfect gentleman but this was going so far…

They made small moans in the back of their throats until they finally – reluctantly – broke the kiss. They were both breathing hard and he let his forehead rest against hers, her eyes instinctively closing. It felt so right to be held by him and they had both waited so long; nearly seven years!

"Things will work now."

That was Ron. Straight to the point, no frills, just plain honesty and…

"I love you."

He spoke in a whisper and, startled, she pulled her head back, then froze.

"What did you think we were talking about?"
He said it gently and with more understanding than the Ron she knew had ever possessed.

"Liking … each other … a lot …."

"I love you Hermione Granger."

He interrupted her, repeating himself as her mind reeled from his softly spoken declaration. Loved her? She had hoped but now he had said it… She stared fiercely up into his eyes.

"I love you too Ron Weasley. Always have, always will. More than anything."

"More than books?"

He was teasing her now.

"Yes."

"More than Charms?"

"Yes!"

"More than Ancient Runes?"

She leapt up and stood, hands on hips in front of him.

"More than Arithmancy?"

He too jumped up, wincing a little, and lunged at her. She squealed and ran as he gave chase.

"Yes!"

They ran about the common room, over furniture until he finally caught her – out of breath – and they both landed on the rug in front of the merrily cackling fire. Ron instantly began to tickle her, demanding answers as he did so.

"More than Transfiguration?"
"Please, please stop! – Yes!"

He suddenly stopped and looked seriously down from where he was above her, her arms now pinned by the forearms to the floor by his own and one of his legs resting on hers. Her breathing caught as she became aware how compromising their positions were.

"Do you love me more than Care of Magical Creature?"

He began to tickle her again and she rolled around with no breathe to answer him.

"More than Potions?"

Hermione couldn't see how he kept a straight face as he spoke as she found it hard enough to get out a choked 'yes' through another fit of giggles.

Suddenly, she couldn't giggle anymore, a warm mouth covered her own. Her eyes fluttered closed and her arms went around his neck.

Previously, she would have said she liked kissing well enough, but this went beyond – all she could think of was her and Ron, just the two of them alone together… He began trailing kisses along her jaw and down her neck. She gasped as his lips met her collar bone.

"Ron?"

"What?"
He stopped and looked at her. Her eyes pleaded with him,

"We're tired and injured – can we just sleep now? Not that I don't enjoy this…"

She stayed tight up against him.

"I just… Please stay with me?"

He gave a low, throaty chuckle.

"Always, never doubt that."

He stood and – bowing mockingly – offered her a hand-up. She took it and was swept up once again into his arms. He held her lips in a sweet kiss that sent shivers to her very core. Suddenly, he yawned.

"Right as usual Hermione. I'm knackered."

He loosened his hold on her waist, where his hands had instinctively rested, and his eyes look on a mischievous glint.

"Not that I wouldn't rather be here with you…"

He broke off, fearing he might have said too much.

"Well,"

She paused merely to keep him in suspense, but soon regretted it at the pain it so clearly caused him.

"What if we stay here?"

"Hermione Granger!" Ron reprimanded, acting shocked.

"Why would you ever do such a thing?"

Hermione covered a smile with her free hand: it was an impressive impression of Professor McGonagall. Ron grinned down at her, taking her hand and leading her to the largest of the comfortable loveseats. They sat down, his arm wrapped around her waist as she nestled her head into the crook of his neck. He conjured some blankets and tucked in beside their bodies but Hermione was already asleep, lulled into unconsciousness by Ron's warmth and strength and the rhythmic beating of his heart.

Soon enough, he too was asleep; the only sounds his snores and the crackling of the dying fire.