A/N: I have been absent from the writing scene for a few years, "Becoming Ron and Hermione" completely wore me out because I was having new chapter ideas daily and was trying to write them out as fast as my brain was moving and I wanted a break once that story was completed. I didn't intend for the break to last so long, but now the combination of insomnia, "Deathly Hallows Part 2" the movie, and my recent completion of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" book for the 7th time have caused a story idea to be planted in my head. R/Hr of course. So I'll see how this one-shot goes. Please be sure to review and let me know what you think! It's total fluff and cheese, but sometimes those are the best stories right? =)
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. However, if I could make my own Ron Weasley I would willingly do so.
When Will it Stop?
"How did you get into my vault?" seamed Bellatrix.
"We didn't! I swear we didn't take anything!" Hermione screamed through her tears
"Liar! CRUICO!"
Hermione let out an ear piercing scream, "Please! We didn't take anything! Please!"
"CRUCIO!"
Hermione screamed again as she thrashed around on the floor, writhing in pain. "When will the pain stop?" Hermione wondered, how much more could she endure? The curse was flung at her again and she screamed louder this time...
Hermione sat up in bed screaming at the top of her lungs, covered in a glistening sheen of sweat, her sheets strewn in a tangled heap. Ron jolted awake as well, sitting up and reaching for his wife. "Shhhh...shhh...Hermione it's ok, it's just a dream" he whispered to her. Hermione's body was shaking with her sobs as Ron put his arms around her drawing her to his chest to try to comfort her. This was not the first time she had woken him up with her screaming. They had been married for about a year and the dreams were a regular occurence. Ron leaned back against the headboard bringing Hermione with him, stroking her hair trying to calm her down.
"I'm sorry Ron." She choked out in between her gasps for breath.
"It's ok Hermione," he whispered. "It was only a dream."
"I just thought that by now they would have stopped," she said, wiping her eyes. "It's been three years since it happened, I know it's over, but I just can't stop having these nightmares." She took a ragged breath. "Why won't they stop?"
"Hermione, you went through something very traumatic. We all did, it just affects us all in different ways. I have dreams too, but they don't affect me the same way they do you."
"What are your dreams about?" She asked looking up at Ron while she tried to wipe the rest of the tears from her face.
"I see Fred's death replayed over and over. I see Harry's body being carried up to the castle in Hagrid's arms. I see killing curses narrowly missing you and Ginny in the Great Hall. I dream I'm in the cellar at the Malfoy's and hearing your screams and I'm not able to get out in time..." Ron said trailing off at the end.
"Ron, why haven't you told me all of this before?" She asked. She had only suffered from the one dream of Bellatrix, but it had plagued her over and over for three years.
"Because I wanted to be strong for you. I knew that you were still having that dream and I wanted you to know that I would always be there to comfort you. There have been many times when you have woken me up screaming and I've honestly been relieved because I would be dreaming about not getting to you in time and then your screams would wake me up and I would realize it really was just a dream. We went through a big life altering year when we were 17, it'll take a while for the bad memories to fade and we have to keep pushing forward. We just have to remember that evil died that day, but it will continue to haunt us if we let it." Ron said.
"When did my husband become so wise?" Hermione teased.
"Oh the wisdom has always been present, love. You just haven't always been willing to see it." Ron gave her a smug look, teasing her right back and she laughed. Ron leaned down and kissed the top of her head, "Maybe we just need to talk through it more and not deal with our fears and painful memories alone."
"And the wisdom just keeps pouring out." She replied, but she agreed with what he said.
Ron chuckled and it was silent for a moment, the only sound being their soft breathing as they lay snuggled in their bed. "Do you remember when I made it snow on us in sixth year?" he asked.
Hermione smiled, "Yes, you had just broken up with Lavender and we were finally speaking to each other again."
"All I really wanted to do at that moment was lean over and snog you senseless you know." he said.
"Well, too bad you were too chicken and had to wait for me to jump you a year later." She teased poking him in his side.
"Hey, no ma'am! You were too good playing hard to get and wouldn't ever let on that you had any interest!" He threw right back at her.
"Never let on I was interested?" Hermione scoffed as she sat up in bed, "How about when I invited you to Slughorn's Christmas party? Hmm? And what about when I laid into you in the common room after the Yule Ball and told you that you should have asked me before Viktor? And what about the time..." But Ron cut her off with a kiss that caused her to lose all train of thought. It was amazing how he had that affect on her, he could make her forget anything just by pressing his mouth to hers, even if it was only for a split second. This, however, was not one of those split second kisses. It was one of the ones that rivaled their first kiss, one filled with passion and angst and the abandoning of all animosity between them. When they broke apart they were breathless. When Hermione could speak she finally said, "Now, if you had just done that in fourth year like you should have then we wouldn't have had all of those problems in the years that followed, namely Lavender." she grumbled, but in her teasing manner.
Ron rolled his eyes, "Yes, I think I've confessed time and time again that she was a huge mistake and given the opportunity I would gladly take that whole relationship back."
Hermione giggled, "Yes, you have. I just like to tease you about it."
Ron laughed too, "When will you stop being so insufferable?"
"When you stop being a thick headed git."
They laughed as they settled back into bed, all memories of the war and nightmares far from their mind and went back to sleep in each other's arms. This time dreaming of the good times, past, present, and future.