A/N: this is an AU so of course our characters will be a little bit different… right? Sorry for the slow updates. I mean it this time… this is the last chapter.

Chapter Nine – Morning

The next morning Ron and Harry were down in the Great Hall waiting for Ginny and Hermione before starting their breakfast. Both boys were recounting the great time they had the previous night at the Yule Ball. Ron so badly wanted to share with Harry the conversation he had had with Hermione and how they were now together, but he knew he had to keep his word about keeping their new relationship a secret. Ron looked across the table and noticed how tired Harry looked and couldn't help but comment.

"Harry, mate, you look a bit tired, dancing with two girls all night must have worn you out?"

"Yeah, I'm beat, and I even got to bed before you, but you look all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, how come you don't seem so tired, and how long did you stay up with Luna? You two looked like you were having great fun together, so is she now your girlfriend? Did you stay up late snogging her?"

Ron laughed at the thought. "No, Lu isn't my girlfriend. We did chat a bit after the dance, but I mainly spent my time afterward talking to someone else. We had a great conversation and I felt so good afterward that I slept better last night than I have for a long while. In fact, I still feel so good and maybe that's why I'm a bit more awake than you are."

"Really? Who did you talk with that made you feel so good?"

Before Ron could come up with a good answer, he looked up and saw Hermione and Ginny entering the room. Ron gave them a great big smile as he stood up and went to greet the girls.

"Good morning, Miya," he said as he hugged her and kissed her cheek. "Good morning, Ginny," he said as he did the same to his sister. "You two look wonderful this morning."

Hermione smiled and replied, "good morning, Ronnie" as Ron took her hand and led her to the seat on his right. Ginny and Harry both noticed the slight blush on Hermione's cheeks as she sat down next to Ron.

Ginny turned to Harry and as she sat next to him she whispered in his ear "what the heck is going on with these two?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders and whispered back, "I have no idea, but Ron has been in great mood all morning."

Both Harry and Ginny stared wide-eyed as Ron took a plate and started adding all the things that Hermione normally ate for breakfast and then placed it in front of her. As he was pouring her some orange juice and tea, Hermione put a plate down in front of Ron that contained all of his normal breakfast foods.

As they started to eat both looked up at Harry and Ginny's astonished faces and said together, "What?"

At this point Ginny couldn't help herself as she blurted out, "You just made each other's breakfast, you hug and kiss her cheek when we came down and you called her Miya and she called you Ronnie and neither of you blinked an eye, like it was all normal! What in Godric's name is going on?"

Hermione and Ron looked at each other with a slight smile and then turned back to their friends across the table. Ron did an excellent job of keeping a straight face as he replied, "I'm just trying to do like you taught me. We know what we eat for breakfast, so what's the big deal?"

Harry looked skeptical as he leaned over, looked them in the eyes and said "Yeah, ok, sure, but what's with the nicknames? You've never wanted a nickname, Hermione, and I thought you hated being called Ronnie, so what's with that?"

Hermione gave a short giggle and said, "oh, it was just never the right nickname before, but now I like it when Ronnie calls me Miya."

"And I like it when Miya calls me Ronnie."

Ron looked over and saw Luna entering the hall. He looked at his companions and asked, "would it be ok if I asked Luna to join us?"

"of course," they all replied.

Ron stood and walked to meet Luna as she entered the hall. He also hugged her and gave her a quick peck on her lips. "Good morning, Lu, it is so good to see you. I had such a good time last night. Please come sit with us for breakfast?"

"Good morning, Ronald. I too, had a great time with you and I would love to have breakfast with you and your friends."

"Our friends, Lu, our friends. They're yours as well."

"Oh, Ronald, thank you."

Ron leaned his mouth next to her ears as they walked to the Gryffindor table. "I want to thank you for the advice you gave me last night. I did know the time and place like you said and now Hermione is my girlfriend, and I can't thank you enough. You're a very special friend Lu, and I'm grateful."

Luna gave Ron a big smile and stopped and gave him a big hug. She whispered in his ear, "I knew you would figure it out, I knew it. I'm so happy for you both. She has been waiting for quite a while for you, Ronald, I'm glad it finally worked out for you two."

"Thanks, Lu, only we haven't told anyone, we want them to figure it out by themselves. You're the only one that knows."

"Ooooh, I do love secrets. I am honored that you've shared yours with me. I will enjoy watching them figure it all out."

They arrived at the Gryffindor table and Luna sat down next to Hermione. Luna gave her an all-knowing smile and gave her a little one-armed hug. "You are looking happy, this morning, Hermione, you must have had a good time at the ball last night. I know I did enjoy my time with Ronald."

"Oh yes, I had a good time at the ball, it was interesting being Viktor's date, but it was after the ball that really made me happy."

Ginny looked up and asked, "Really? What happened after the ball? Did Viktor ask you to be his girlfriend? Did you snog? Are you two together now? What's going on?" she said with a smile.

Hermione giggled again and replied, "no, I'm not his girlfriend and we didn't snog. I'm not saying I didn't snog someone, just that it wasn't Victor."

Harry looked confused but then he looked at Ron who was grinning. "Wait a minute, wait a minute, I think I know what's going on here," he said.

Harry pointed at Ron and then at Hermione. He couldn't miss the looks those two were giving each other. "You two, it's you two, you two got together after the ball right?

He looked at Ron and continued, "She's the one you were talking to late into the night, right?"

Before Ron could answer, Harry looked at Hermione, "talking to Ron after the ball is what made you happy, right? Or was it snogging him?"

Ron put his arms around Hermione and pulled her into a quick but passionate kiss. Hermione just melted into his arms as everyone at the Gryffindor table gasped except for Luna who just clapped.

Ron looked up at everyone and smiled as he said, "Does that answer all your questions?"

The table erupted in cheers as Ron and Hermione just beamed at each other.

fin