Okay so we’re starting off right where the Deathly Hallows leaves off, but before the Epilogue. It’s a couple days after the Battle of Hogwarts and we’re at the Burrow. So here we go!

Lying in the grass and looking up at the clouds, Ron recounted the happenings of the past few days. So much had gone on that it seemed like an entire lifetime. Harry had finally defeated Voldemort once and for all, but not before the Death Eaters could take the lives of Tonks, Lupin, and most importantly, Fred. The Weasley household was uncharacteristically quiet and somber since Fred had died. George obviously took it the hardest, even harder than Mrs. Weasley, and had shut himself in his room ever since they’d returned to the Burrow. He only came out in the middle of the night to sneak into the kitchen to eat. Mrs. Weasley never stopped crying and Percy, who had recently moved back home, blamed himself for Fred’s death.

Despite all this though, Ron found that his thoughts were dominated by the memory of his first kiss with Hermione. He’d only ever kissed one other girl before her—Lavender Brown—and it had been nothing like it. After they’d kissed he wanted to just be with her and her alone, but the battle raged on around them and they’d been forced to join. He hadn’t really seen or heard from Hermione since the Battle of Hogwarts, but it was like she was there anyway—in his thoughts and in his heart.

POP!

Ron jumped up at the sound and turned to face none other than Hermione herself. “Gosh Hermione, you scared me,” he said, “But it’s good to see you.”

“Oh Ron, I’m sorry I haven’t been able to talk to you until now, but I just had to go home to my mum and dad,” Hermione explained. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Wish I could say the same for the rest of my family…”Ron replied glumly. Hermione sat down next to him on the grass and put her head on his shoulder. In turn, he put his arm around her, holding her tightly. He wanted the world to stop turning for just a little while, so his family’s wounds could heal and so things could go back to normal. At this point, he could barely remember what normal had been like. It seemed like a million years ago that he, Hermione, and Harry had been together at Hogwarts, so innocent and carefree.

“Things will get better, I promise,” Hermione assured him, as if she’d read his thoughts.

“I hope so Hermione, I hope so.”

“I know how hard this must be for you right now, but Ron I have to know,” she said softly. “I mean, we were caught up in the moment and everything was happening so fast, so I would understand if you didn’t mean for us to kiss.” It was odd to hear Hermione sound so unsure of herself when she usually knew exactly what she was doing all the time. Of course he’d meant to kiss her—he’d been working up the courage to do so since he was fourteen. Back then it had seemed so complicated, but now it was perfectly clear. He loved her.

“So many things happened that night. I regret most of them, but not that. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it,” he confessed.

“Me neither,” Hermione admitted, blushing. “So what does this mean?” She looked up at him expectantly with her deep brown eyes.

Ron sighed deeply. “It means that we kissed, and I intend to kiss you again sometime, if that’s alright with you.”

Hermione laughed a little, but still didn’t feel the happiness that she once knew. “Yes, that’s alright with me. That’s extremely alright with me,” she said. Ron put his finger under her chin to lift her face up to his and leaned closer. With each inch nearer he came, Hermione felt her pulse race faster and faster until his lips touched her own, making her feel as if her heart would burst out of her chest. Euphoria raced through her veins, reaching every inch of her body. She enjoyed the feeling of safeness that came with his arms around her and his lips on her own, but all to soon it came to an end.

Ron pulled away and took a deep breath of fresh air. “So how’ve you been?” he asked her.

“Well I lifted those Memory Charms I’d put on my parents,” Hermione informed him. “It was nice to spend a couple days at home with them; I don’t really see them much.”

“Did you tell them about everything that happened?” Ron asked, referring to Voldemort’s demise.

“To an extent,” she replied wistfully, “I tried to explain everything to them, but they can’t understand it all. It’s an entirely different world.”

“Yeah, I can hardly understand all that has happened myself,” Ron told her.

“I know, me neither,” Hermione agreed. “Why don’t we go inside now. I want to see your mom and Ginny and everyone.”

“Okay sure,” Ron said as they both got up. As they started to walk back to the Burrow, Ron slipped his hand into Hermione’s and gave it a quick squeeze. Hermione smiled back at him, easing the pressure he’d felt in his chest ever since Fred died.

When they entered the kitchen Mrs. Weasley was washing dishes and hysterically sobbing. She was startled to hear the door slam behind Ron and Hermione and dropped a dish onto the floor, shattering it into a dozen pieces.

“Oh Hermione…I didn’t know…that you stopped by,” she sobbed.

“Hi Mrs. Weasley,” Hermione said tentatively. “How are you doing?”

“I’m fine…thanks dear…can I…get you anything?” Mrs. Weasley asked, struggling to catch her breath.

“No, no it’s alright. Here, let me help,” Hermione told her. Reparo! With a wave of her wand, the dish flew up to her hand in one piece. She handed it to Mrs. Weasley who merely nodded her thanks, still unable to get any words out. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said softly.

Mrs. Weasley pulled Hermione into one of her infamous bear hugs and rocked back and forth. “Thank you,” she whispered to her. She released Hermione and wiped the tears off her face.

“Why don’t you sit down Mum,” Ron said as he pulled out a seat for her. “I’ll take care of those dishes later.” She took the seat and heaved an enormous sigh as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulder, and these days that was pretty much how it was. Ron lightly kissed his mother on her forehead.

“Thank you Ron,” she said gratefully. “Oh wait a moment, where’s Harry?”

“I came alone,” Hermione said.

“No, but Harry came in about twenty minutes ago. I told him you were in the yard, didn’t he come see you?” she insisted.

“I haven’t seen him,” Ron said, confusedly.

“Maybe he went upstairs; let’s go check Ron,” Hermione suggested.

“Yeah, okay.”

“I hope you feel better, Mrs. Weasley,” Hermione called as she and Ron made their way up the stairs.

“Me too,” she said quietly so they wouldn’t hear her. She waved her wand over to the kettle to brew herself a cup of tea, hoping that it would ease her frayed and tattered nerves.

You like so far? Review and tell me what you think! And stay tuned to see what Ron and Hermione find when they get upstairs…ooooh!