127A/N: A quick note on rating - most of this story has been a safe T-rating, but as of this chapter, I'm going to bump it up to an M rating just to be safe. All for good reasons, of course ;)
A continued thank you to everyone who's keeping up with this story - we're almost at the finish line, and I couldn't be happier at the outpouring of support. You all make the hours of writing and editing worth it! Please let me know what you think as this story wraps up.
Another big thank you to adenei for all of your help throughout this process!
Now that our heroes have taken the plunge and finally spilled it, let's see how it goes from there…
Chapter 19 - "I still have a few surprises up my sleeve."
"Hermione, you don't have to do this!" Ron pleaded, keeping his hold on Hermione's forearm.
But it was no use. She shook her head back and forth and looked up at him with a resolute glare. "Yes, I do! I'm sorry if you don't think it's for the best, but I do! And it's my life, Ron! So please, just…go! Get away from me!"
"No, I won't go! It's too soon, we just started!"
"Don't you get it?" she begged as she pulled her arm out of his grasp. "It's not up to you! I'm the only one who has a say in this!"
"Like hell you are! I think I've got plenty invested in all of this too, you know!"
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really!"
She sighed, dropping her head into an outstretched palm and muttering nonsense to herself. When she spoke again, her tone was laced with a quiet fury. "Ron, I am not kidding. I need you to go. I honestly can't believe you would make me keep asking in this state."
Arguing with her was pointless. It was like debating a brick wall. If he'd learned anything about Hermione Granger in the last few months, it was that she would not be deterred once her mind was made up. In the right context, it was adorable; he loved that feisty, determined side of her. But it also meant that debating the opposite side of an issue was a fool's errand. Really, he was left with no choice. He had to go.
"Fine," he said with a groan. "I just…I hope you won't regret this."
"I won't."
With one final huff, he turned on his heel and walked several paces down the hallway before spinning back toward her. "How's this?"
"Farther."
After another four large steps, he asked again. "Now?"
"Uh-uh."
Freaking single-minded overachieving…God, she's annoying sometimes!
"This has to be enough, right? I mean, I'm not going any farther," he called after moving a little more. "Come on, it's the first time you've been up and walking without help since the surgery, and as proud as I am of your progress and as much as I love watching you walk toward me, I don't want you to exert yourself too much."
She looked up at him and smiled, although she still seemed a bit irritated. "Fine, that'll do. But only because you asked so nicely…and because I don't want you any further away from me than absolutely necessary."
It had been two days since her surgery, and Ron had been practically living at the hospital. With classes over and the Ultimate Frisbee tournament still a few weeks away, he didn't have much else to do, so he was thrilled to spend all of his time with Hermione. Things had been going great, and she had been improving substantially. Her parents had been helping as well, although they both had to be back at the office during the day and were ecstatic that he was around to stay with their daughter. As a result, Ron and Hermione were free to spend their days talking, getting to know each other, and stealing kisses every time the doctors, nurses, and other staff left them alone.
The day after the procedure, Hermione had finally been freed of some of her lines and wires, most notably her chest tube. The thin plastic hose that drained excess blood out of her chest after surgery was by far the most disgusting part of the setup, and Ron's stomach flipped any time he looked at it. That evening, the team had told her that they would be able to take it out, and Hermione asked him to stay with her for the uncomfortable procedure. He couldn't watch for fear of becoming lightheaded himself. But true to his word, he stood next to her, faced the other way, and happily tolerated her squeezing his hand as hard as she could as the surgery resident pulled the tube out the side of her ribcage and applied a tight bandage.
Once she was down to nothing but a few heart monitor leads and a single IV, her doctors encouraged her to get up and move around. Most people who had open heart surgery were required to stay in the hospital for almost a week, but Hermione was progressing so well that the team was considering a discharge within the next day or two. Before they would agree to that, though, she needed to prove that she could walk without assistance. Much to Ron's dismay, she jumped on the challenge immediately.
"And you're sure your monitor is secure?" he called, mimicking the twisting motion of tightening the device's screw to the IV pole.
She gave him a sarcastic thumbs-up. "It's fine."
"Cords out of the way?"
"Ron, will you let me do this?" she responded, fire burning in her eyes. "Please?"
"Fine. Take it slow, though, okay? It's not a race."
"I'm walking down the hallway, not entering the Indy 500."
"I know, but…it's the first time you've done it without me or your parents standing next to you. I'm just worried, that's all."
"I'll be okay."
He kept his mouth shut that time, knowing that nothing else he could say would change anything. Her steps were ginger at first, but as she started to feel comfortable in her rhythm, she picked up the pace a bit. The nurse that had been taking care of her was trailing a few steps behind just in case, which eased Ron's mind. He spotted the small green blips start to roll faster across the heart monitor display, indicating that the pacemaker was raising her heart rate with activity just as it was supposed to. As she got closer to him, her expression changed from one of determination to one of pride, shooting a quick 'told you so' glance at Ron as she got within a few feet. When her fingers grazed his outstretched hand, he beamed back at her, wrapping her in a gentle hug as she closed the distance between them.
"See? No problem."
He laughed and planted a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Has anyone ever described you as stubborn to a fault?"
"Never," she answered, elevating onto her tiptoes to return the favor.
"Ewwww!"
The sound came from the room they had stopped in front of, a room currently occupied by ten-year-old Colin, another patient recovering from heart surgery.
"Better get used to it, dude," Ron called into the room, wrapping his arm around Hermione's shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere."
Hermione swatted him on the shoulder and smiled at the young friend they'd made while walking the hall. "How are you feeling today, Colin?"
"I was fine, but now I'm pretty sure I need to barf."
"You better not hurl on my Switch, alright?" Ron said in a stern tone. "I'm happy to loan it to you while we're here, but she's going home soon, so I'm going to need that back in the next day or two, alright? Preferably vomit-free."
"You're the one making me nauseous."
They both chuckled as the boy feigned a retch over the system's screen.
"You like it though?" Ron continued. "You're having fun?"
Colin shrugged. "Yeah, it's pretty cool, I guess. I already crushed all of your high scores in Mario Kart time trials."
Suddenly quite serious, the smile was wiped off of Ron's face. He'd worked hard to get his lap times as low as possible. There was no way…
"Hang on, you're serious?"
"Yeah, man. Wait, how old are you?"
"Twenty…"
"For real? So you've been playing this game for a decade longer than me, and it still only took me like half a day to get better than you?"
"I mean," Ron stammered, tripping over his words, "th–there's more to the game than pure speed, you know."
Colin responded with a deadpan nod. "Uh-huh…"
As he stood in shock, Hermione started vibrating with laughter next to him, shaking his arm as it hung limply around her shoulder.
"Ron, I told you not to make me laugh!" she scolded, holding her side. "It hurts my incisions!"
"If he's ever being a bad boyfriend, Hermione, you just call me," Colin said, his bandage-covered chest puffed out with pride. "I'll set him straight."
"You got it, Colin."
When Hermione waved and they started to walk back to her room, Ron leaned back, staring at the child. "I got my eye on you…"
By the following evening, Hermione had made enough progress to be discharged from the hospital. Her team was thrilled at how quickly she'd recovered from the surgery, and although she would still be moving slowly for the next several weeks as her wounds healed, Ron could tell that she was looking forward to sleeping in her own bed.
Mr. and Mrs. Granger arrived by five o'clock in the afternoon, pulling their car up in front of the main entrance just as Hermione was pushed out in a wheelchair. With Ron's help, she climbed into the back seat of the car, and he tossed her bag into the trunk before waving to her family and jogging across the parking lot toward his beat-up Toyota Camry. He followed the Grangers' car back to her apartment, and once they arrived, he collected her things while her parents helped her into her bedroom. Parvati was vacationing with her family in Europe, so Hermione would have a nice quiet apartment in which to recuperate. Together, the three of them helped to set up her bedroom so that everything she could need was within reach. It was difficult to convince her that they could do it without her, but eventually she acquiesced, curling up in her bed while the rest of them organized her possessions.
Her parents had offered to get takeout for the four of them, but Ron declined, sensing that they could use a bit of time alone with their daughter. After coming home and having dinner with his roommates, though, he found himself antsy at the thought of her in her apartment by herself.
I don't want her to think I'm too overbearing, but I guess one text couldn't hurt…
Hey r u ok? Let me know if u need NEthing once ur parents leave.
He didn't have to wait long as her reply came almost instantly.
Nothing I NEED, per se…although I wouldn't complain if you wanted to come over and keep me company.
What more invitation did a guy need? Her message was vague, though, and while he certainly didn't think that she was alluding to anything too…physical, he still threw his laptop and toothbrush into his backpack just in case he didn't make it back to his place until morning.
"Guys, I'm going back to Hermione's, have a good night!" he called as he slipped on his shoes.
"Sounds good," Harry replied, barely looking up from his game of Madden.
Seamus, on the other hand, set down his controller and stared back at Ron. "Are you getting booty called like three days after she had open heart surgery? Because if so…respect."
"No, asshole," Ron answered with a chuckle. "She can't get around very well. I'm just trying to be helpful."
"I mean, she had surgery, but you're fine…just saying…"
"Goodbye, Seamus! I would say it's been a pleasure, but it absolutely hasn't."
With his roommate making whipping noises in the background, he pulled the door shut and hopped in his car, speeding back to her apartment as quickly as possible. He had barely knocked on the door when it sprung open, Hermione standing in the doorway and blocking his entrance.
"Hey, are you alright? Should you be up this much?" Ron asked, eyebrows knit together with concern.
"Stop it, I'm fine! I'm collecting tolls, actually."
"Tolls?"
"To come inside. It's not free, you know."
The muscles in his neck and shoulders relaxed, and a lopsided grin spread onto his face. "Is that so? What's the charge, then? I only have, like, eight bucks on me."
"Oh, it's not money I'm after."
"No?"
"No. I think I'm going to need a little something right…here," she said, placing her index finger against her lower lip.
"Right there, huh?" he asked, stepping forward and wrapping an arm around her waist, tugging her toward him.
"Mmhmm," she answered with a smile as she jolted forward and captured his lips with her own.
She pulled him back into the apartment, and he kicked the door shut with his foot. Tangling his hand in her hair, he pressed his mouth harder into hers. Their tongues met in the middle and danced around each other, little swipes here and there sending pleasurable shocks through Ron's body. Her fingertips slid up and down his back, nails gently scratching his skin through his thin t-shirt. They backed toward her bedroom together, only separating when they were seated next to each other on the mattress.
Hermione closed her eyes and released a long exhale. "I've been wanting to do that for months."
"Me too. Although, I have to ask; do you greet everyone like that? I mean, what if it was the Amazon delivery guy instead of me?"
"Hmm," she said, tapping her chin. "Describe this delivery guy…"
"Oh really?" he joked, leaning forward and kissing her again as they laughed together.
Once they parted, she placed one more quick peck on his cheek and scooted closer to him on the bed. Dropping her head onto his shoulder, she ran her fingers over his forearm in a slow figure-eight pattern. "Thank you for coming back. And for everything these last few days. You've been so amazing and so patient. I honestly think I would still be in the hospital if you weren't there to help and encourage me along the way. Even my parents can't stop raving about you. So, just…thank you."
"You don't have to thank me," he said as he looped an arm over her shoulder. "I was happy to do it, and I'm happy that you get to be home now. Speaking of which, can I get you anything? I know you can be up and around, but the doctors said you're still supposed to be taking it easy, right?"
"Umm, maybe just a cup of tea?"
"Sure. Earl Grey with a splash of milk, right?"
"Right."
After one more kiss to the top of her head, he stood up and padded into the kitchen. He prepared a drink for her and another for himself, adding a few teaspoons of sugar to his for good measure. When he returned to the room, he found Hermione sitting up straight with her back against the head of her bed and her laptop open on the bedspread. She'd slid all the way to the side of the bed, leaving him plenty of room to join her.
"Is this spot taken?" he teased as he handed her the warm mug.
"Hopefully by you."
He climbed under the sheet next to her, the left side of his body pressed up against the right side of hers. The dim lamp on her nightstand was the only light illuminating the room, and it cast long shadows onto the wall. As soon as he settled himself, he placed his mug on the floor next to him and extended his arm toward her face, cupping her cheeks in both hands just before his lips crashed into hers again. The feeling of comfort and excitement and elation was unrivaled in his life, and he didn't ever want it to end. They were finally free to be themselves together. No more beating around the bush, no more not saying what they meant, no more lying awake at night wondering. Just him and her.
It only took her a moment to deposit her tea on her nightstand and return to him, her hands running up and down his chest as their mouths locked together. Ron was cautious to make sure he didn't hurt her, but he still couldn't help himself, opening his mouth wider and allowing his tongue to explore everywhere. Breaking away for a deep breath, he peppered kisses along her jawline and down her neck. When her warm body shuddered in response, he grinned to himself and pulled himself closer to her.
After several minutes, they both separated, shooting little smiles back and forth as she slid down the bedspread and settled into the crook of his shoulder.
"As amazing as this is," she said, inhaling deeply to catch her breath, "I'm afraid I may not be physically up for too much just yet."
He rubbed up and down her arm, still enjoying the feeling of her lying next to him. "Sure, of course. Even that little bit, though…pretty fantastic."
"Fantastic is right. And…well, just so you know, even though I can only participate in short windows of time now doesn't mean I'm not interested in more…later."
Oh fuck, is she saying what I think she's saying? Just play it cool, man. Don't look too eager.
"Honestly, right now I'm just so happy to be here with you, Hermione. Later can sort itself out."
She smiled and leaned up to deposit one last kiss on his forehead before snuggling back into his grip. "I couldn't agree more."
Laying in Hermione's bed with her cuddled up against him was bliss, and he couldn't contain his grin. For several moments, the two of them rested peacefully next to each other, Ron's fingers twirling through the curls of her hair as her rhythmic breathing warmed his collarbone. Her eyelashes fluttered open and shut, occasionally brushing against his cheek and sending an exciting chill down his spine. When she looked up at him, she looked happy; as happy as he'd ever seen her, and he knew that all of the bumps along the way had been worth it. She was worth it.
"Wanna watch a movie?" she asked, wincing as she grabbed her laptop from the nightstand. "I can't really do much else at the moment, but I do have my parent's Netflix login."
He leaned down and picked up his mug, still warm and giving off warm, floral vapors. "Yeah, that sounds great."
Before they started the somewhat nerve-racking task of picking a movie they could both agree on, Ron helped her sit up against her headboard and adjusted her pillows to make sure she was comfortable. Crawling back into the full-sized bed, he pulled her computer onto his lap and angled it toward her. Much to his surprise, Hermione had a weakness for mystery films, so they settled on Knives Out almost immediately. They were only ten minutes into the movie, however, when he noticed that her eyelids were getting heavy, and it didn't take much longer for her to fall asleep.
"Hermione?" he whispered. "Hey, Hermione. I'll pause it here, okay?"
"Kay," she mumbled as she rubbed her eyes and yawned.
"I'll just clean up a little and get going."
Her eyes opened a sliver and she peered back at him. "No, stay."
There was nothing he wanted more. The thought of driving back to his apartment and leaving her all alone not only broke his heart a little, it worried him as well. She had just been released from the hospital after major surgery. What if something happened and nobody was there to help her? Would she have the presence of mind to call an ambulance?
"I'd love to, trust me, but I don't want to hurt you. What if I, like, rolled onto you by accident? Maybe I could just crash on the couch?"
She closed her eyes again and rolled the covers back to invite him in. "My couch would barely fit half of you. Just stay here, please. I'd really like you to."
"You're sure?"
"Ron, I'm getting cold, would you just get in?"
He didn't need to be invited a third time. Careful to remain on one side, he slipped under the sheets and laid flat on his back, placing his hands on his stomach to minimize the amount of space he took up.
"I'll stay still, I promise. I'm a pretty stationary sleeper."
Without a word, she slid backward and grabbed his hand. A soft tug demonstrated her intention, and he rolled toward her until his chest was flush with her back. She fit perfectly against him, her tied-up hair tickling his chin. Dropping his hand over her waist, he gave her a hug from behind and ducked his head to place a kiss on the back of her neck.
"Is this okay?"
"It's perfect."
"Yeah…perfect."
Dreams of a perfect summer drifted into his mind, and he tried to think of all of the ways the two of them could enjoy the town together. It felt like there would be nothing but freedom, and he couldn't imagine a better partner with whom to share the carefree months. As he closed his eyes, though, any thoughts of plans faded, and he tried his best to savor the feeling of finally having Hermione Granger in his arms.
The next few weeks passed in a delightful haze. Ron spent every free moment with Hermione, and her recovery progressed quite well. The two of them went to visit her doctor together for a follow-up appointment several days after she'd left the hospital, and it was all good news. Dr. Pomfrey was thrilled to see Hermione so happy and impressed at Ron's technical knowledge of her condition. It was an educational experience for him, but one that he appreciated. He'd meant what he said; he wanted to understand it all so that she knew she could count on him for help if needed.
Even Harry and Seamus had pitched in during the first few weeks of Hermione's recovery, offering to make dinner for her and Ron on the days they had to be at the hospital for her appointments. There were several evenings where the four of them sat around the table in their apartment sharing meals that Seamus volunteered to make. To his and Harry's surprise, his cooking skills had improved drastically throughout the school year, and his dishes were always top-notch. The three roommates traveled with their team to the national Ultimate Frisbee tournament at the end of May, and unlike the previous year, the team ended up winning the whole thing. When they returned back to campus, Hermione had baked them a congratulatory cake, which was polished off in a matter of minutes.
As soon as her pain was under control, Hermione started working on her medical school applications, and to no one's surprise, she was almost done by the time the application portal opened. With her encouragement, Ron had signed up for an introductory course in biomechanical engineering for the summer, deciding once and for all on a career path. Combining his aptitude for physics and math with his newfound interest in science and medical technology, he set his class schedule for the following year to learn everything he could about the human body and what it needed to survive.
He'd also linked up with a research fellow at the medical school who was investigating improvements to existing pacemaker technology, landing a paid summer research internship at the last minute. Dr. Derwent was a genius, already holding several patents for pacemaker components, and was looking to study additional improvements with Ron's assistance. It was an ideal situation for him, and one that helped him dive in headfirst on his new life goals.
Parvati returned from her vacation about a week later, and as Hermione had intentionally kept her in the dark about the change in her relationship status, her roommate squealed loud enough for the entire neighborhood to hear when she walked in the door and found the two of them cuddled on the couch. Ron was once again warned not to break Hermione's heart, but unlike the last time they'd run into each other, the warning was leveled in a joking manner and without threat of physical violence. Over time, he found that her roommate was often on his side when it came to Hermione needing to lighten up and enjoy the summer a bit more, leading to plenty of fun days out in the nice weather.
Before they knew it, almost half of the summer had passed. It was the Friday just before the fourth of July, and Ron had gone into the lab early to finish his research work in time to take Hermione to the hospital for her check-up appointment. Just as had been the case at each of her previous follow-ups, Dr. Pomfrey was delighted with the progress she'd made, and Ron couldn't be happier as they drove back to her apartment together, a permanent smile plastered onto her face.
"So, I was thinking," he started, grabbing her hand off the center console. "We should celebrate your progress, don't you think?"
Hermione grinned back at him and kissed his cheek. "That sounds intriguing…what did you have in mind?"
"Well, you've been working so hard on your applications, and I've been so busy with school and research that we always end up just eating whatever at one of our places at the end of the day. Which is great, don't get me wrong, but I think we deserve a proper date."
"Hmm," she said, tapping her chin. "Now that you mention it, you're right. We haven't really done an official date, have we? Maybe a sleepover or two, but no actual date…"
He squeezed her hand and laughed as he nodded. "Exactly. I want to take you out tonight…your choice, wherever you want to go."
"Really?" Her cheeks turned pink, and he could tell her brain was spinning through possibilities by the way her eyes darted around the landscape. "Decisions, decisions. Ooh, how about that new Lebanese place that opened just off campus? Professor Sprout went there a few weeks ago and was raving about it."
"Sounds great. Tell you what, I'll drop you at your place and head home to shower and change. Meet you back at yours around five-thirty?"
"That would be perfect! And to think, I was just going to make boring pasta tonight."
"Nope, not tonight. Also, if I'm not mistaken, that place is on the fancier side. Just so you know," he said, cocking an eyebrow as he glanced over at her, "I clean up pretty nice. No t-shirts and jeans tonight."
"Is that so? Well, I'll consider myself notified. Although, you should probably know, two can play at that game," she started, running her finger down his jawline as she leaned closer to him to whisper in his ear, "I've got a dress that'll knock your socks off."
Knock his socks off? What could that mean, exactly? Sure, he'd snuck plenty of glimpses of Hermione's body over the last several months and always liked what he saw, but the thought of her dressing up just for him prompted a quick shudder. He'd been dying to see more of her for months and could only imagine how sexy she was going to look in just a few short hours. Maybe the dress would be short…or low cut…or even strategically see-through…
Oh, Jesus Christ. Keep it together, Weasley. Great Aunt Muriel, Great Aunt Muriel, Great Aunt Muriel…
It was clear that she enjoyed teasing him, and when they pulled up in front of her apartment a minute later, she kissed him deeply, tongue swirling around his mouth before hopping out of the car. Her hips swayed with more of a bounce than usual as she strutted up the walkway, looking back at him over her shoulder and blowing him a kiss. "See you in a couple hours," she said.
With one final wave, he swallowed against the hard lump in his throat and tried to steady himself for the drive home.
Cold shower. Definitely a cold shower.
After he washed up, Ron slipped into a crisp white button-up shirt, a pair of dark khakis, and his light blue herringbone blazer. He spent a few minutes tousling his hair until it achieved the type of 'just rolled out of bed' look that could only occur with proper styling, added a spritz of his favorite cologne, and stepped into a pair of dark brown leather loafers. The last time he'd worn any of the clothes was for his older brother's engagement party a few years back, but they still fit like a glove. With one last peek in the mirror, he grabbed his wallet and headed out the door.
The entire ride over to Hermione's apartment, his mind was singularly focused on what her dress would look like. While he loved the way she looked in her casual day-to-day t-shirts, sweaters, and joggers, he couldn't recall ever seeing her wear a nice dress before, and the thought of it was making his imagination run wild again. He was still nervous on the walk up to her front door, his hand shaking as he reached for the doorbell.
A few seconds later, the door swung open, and all of the wind was knocked out of his lungs. Somehow, Hermione looked even better than he'd imagined. She was leaning against the door frame with a seductive grin, a small beaded clutch dangling from her right arm. As Ron's eyes scanned her, it became obvious just how serious she'd been about the dress. It was dark navy with spaghetti straps, tight to her body throughout the top and flaring out below the waist, the hem skimming her lower thighs. She capped off the ensemble with a pair of flat strappy sandals. Her hair was done up in a somewhat disorganized bun, exposing her neck in a way that drove him crazy.
How did she do that? How could a fairly simple dress, which wasn't overly short or revealing or scandalous in any way, fit her so perfectly and hug all the right curves such that he was literally rendered speechless? And more importantly, how was he supposed to eat dinner across from her without vaulting the table and running his hands up and down her body in front of everyone?
Honestly, after seeing that outfit, he'd almost prefer to skip dinner entirely.
"I've had it for a while, but I've been saving it for a special occasion," she offered with a little twirl. "What do you think?"
"Uhh…I mean…wow. Just…you look amazing."
Stepping forward and pulling the door shut behind her, she elevated onto her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his lips as her hands ran down his lapels. "Not so bad yourself."
His fingers crawled down the smooth chiffon, settling against her lower back as he pulled her closer to him and ducked his head for another kiss. As soon as her body pressed against his, the faint aroma of a rose petal perfume filled his nostrils. Every one of his senses was overstimulated, and as far as he was concerned, they could just stay on her front porch for a few hours and he'd still be happy. But they did have a reservation, as his stomach reminded him.
"Ready?" he asked, finally breaking free from her.
She nodded and clasped their hands together. "Let's go!"
After a short ride through campus, they pulled up in front of the restaurant. It was small, and dim bulbs were suspended from the ceiling above each table. Intricate designs were painted on every wall accompanied by beautiful pottery pieces. Ron couldn't recall ever going to such an upscale place before; it was a good thing they were both dressed for the occasion.
The hostess led them to a secluded table in the back corner of the space and set out a plate of hummus with some toasted pita chips. Before long, they ordered a variety of small plates, barely able to stop flirting with each other long enough to tell the waitress what they wanted. The meal was fantastic, but the conversation was even better. Since they'd started formally dating, he'd been thrilled to see the laid-back side of her more often, but that night, she was even more relaxed and carefree than usual. Her face was set in a permanent smile, and his cheeks hurt from laughing by the time they paid the bill and left.
"I don't think I could eat another bite!" she cried as she climbed back in the passenger seat of the old Toyota.
"Me too, I'm stuffed. I really liked it, though. Thanks for pushing to order that amazing spread…the one I really liked, what was it called?"
"Oh, the labneh? Yes, amazing, right? So many good flavors."
"Definitely. We'll have to go back sometime."
Beaming back at him, she brushed a loose strand of hair from his eyes. "It's a date."
Popping the car into gear, he took off down the road, heading toward the south side of campus. Hermione glanced around, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"Neither of us lives this way; where are we going?"
"Date's not over yet," he said with a grin. "Just sit tight, we'll be there soon."
"You're not going to make me go hiking or rock climbing in this outfit, are you?"
His face dropped as he groaned. "Well now you've spoiled the surprise!"
"Ronald! You can't be serious!"
"I shouldn't have said anything. You're too good at guessing…"
"Ron Weasley, tell me you're kidding!"
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't keep the charade going and threw his head back in laughter. It was just too much fun to wind her up sometimes. She glared at him with an irritated expression, but a chuckle broke through as well as she gave him a light slap on his shoulder.
"No, you're dressed perfectly for our next activity, I promise. Don't you dare change a thing about this outfit."
"If you say so…"
They drove in silence for the next ten minutes, although Ron could tell that she was trying her hardest to puzzle out their location. When they pulled up in front of what looked like a large house, she looked over at him completely perplexed, but nonetheless followed him around the building. He dropped her hand only to pick up a large rock sitting next to the side door, twisting it open to reveal a hidden key.
"Are you in some kind of secret society or something? This is so mysterious!" she said.
"Almost there. It'll be worth it, I promise."
The door clicked open, and he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the large, open space. Long boats were hanging from hooks on the wall and the ceiling throughout the room, each emblazoned with the logo of the university.
"It's the boathouse for the crew team," Ron finally explained, guiding her through the maze of shells and oars. "One of the guys on the Ultimate team rows during Fall semester. I called in a favor, and he set up a little evening paddle for us."
"You didn't…"
"Nice night for it, don't you think?"
As they exited out the back of the building to the docks, a small rowboat was bobbing up and down in the water, tied to a wooden post. Hermione's smile was mesmerizing as he held her hand and helped her down onto the metal seat before following her into the boat. A quick check behind him confirmed that the cooler his buddy had promised was safely stowed.
"Ready?" he asked, picking up the oar handles.
"Ready."
Slowly, they paddled out to the middle of the lake. The team practiced on a long, narrow stretch of water that ran directly east to west, meaning that as soon as Ron steered them around a small bend, the setting sun was directly behind him, framed perfectly by the banks of the lake as it sank closer to the horizon. Hermione's face was illuminated by the light, and she looked absolutely radiant, her cheeks glowing across from him. As the boat coasted to a stop on the smooth water, he grabbed the bag and carefully turned around to squeeze in next to her, a warm and fuzzy feeling spreading through his body as soon as his side pressed against hers.
He slipped off his blazer and draped it across her shoulders, leaving his arm around her for good measure. "So…what do you think?"
Picking up his hand, she peeked over and sent him a watery smile as tears started to fill her eyes. "Ron, this is just…it's amazing. So beautiful."
"I'm glad you like it. I've been hoping to show you this for a while now."
"The water is so peaceful, and the sunlight is gorgeous, and don't even get me started on the company. You're amazing. Just when I think I have you figured out…"
"I still have a few surprises up my sleeve."
Eyes shining with excitement, she gazed out over the water. "Looks like we got here at just the right time, too."
"Exactly. That wasn't an accident, you know…"
Her jaw dropped as she turned back to him. "You planned this to the minute?"
"Sorry I had to rush you a little during dessert…hoped you wouldn't notice," he replied with a shrug.
"I didn't, and I'm so glad you did. It was worth it to see this. How did you find out about this? And how are we even here? Wait…you didn't bring all your other girlfriends here, did you?"
He chuckled and kissed her on the temple. "No, no. There's never been anyone else as special as you. And I told you, my friend Andy is on the team. He told me that if you get here just before sunset, it's a great view. He was getting some extra practice time in today and set it up. Gave me some shit for it, of course, but still did it. Plus, we have him to thank for this extra treat."
Unzipping the cooler, he pulled out a bottle of champagne and two plastic flute glasses. Ron popped the cork and poured as Hermione held the glasses steady, the bubbles twinkling in the dying light of the day. After setting the bottle back down on the seat across from them, he held up his glass.
"To you. I know your recovery wasn't always easy, but I'm in awe of how well you handled it. You really are Superwoman," he offered.
Her glass clinked into his. "To us. I couldn't have done it without you."
After downing the bubbly liquid, Ron placed his thumb and finger just under her chin, lifting her face as he leaned in for a kiss. Her lips parted instantly and his tongue slipped inside her mouth, beginning its increasingly familiar tussle with its counterpart.
I don't think I could ever get tired of this.
They broke apart just as the bottom edge of the sun touched the top of the tree line, both shifting to face the glowing orb as it disappeared for the day. He held her close to him, his mind swimming in elation as he breathed in her scent over and over. The ups and downs of their relationship over the last several months had all been worth it. Tonight, she was wearing the perfect dress in the perfect location with the perfect light after the perfect dinner…she was just perfect.
"I'm so glad you gave me another chance, Hermione. I'm going to do my best to prove that it was the right decision."
"Ron, trust me. You already have."
"I'm glad you think so, because I wouldn't trade this time we've had together for anything."
"Me either," she said, snuggling into his side. "I don't think I've ever felt as close to you as I do tonight. Thank you for this."
Her words meant everything to him, and he dropped his cheek on top of her head and picked up her hand. "Are you kidding? It was my pleasure."
The two of them sat together as the sun slowly disappeared behind the horizon. Hermione shivered as a chill picked up once they lost the light, and a gentle breeze started pushing the boat back toward the dock.
"Time to head back?" he asked with one final kiss.
"Part of me wants to stay out here all night, but yes, we probably should."
He picked up the oar handles and turned the boat around before rowing hard back toward the boathouse. Once they tied the boat up, Ron helped her back onto the wooden planks above and followed her out. They locked up the building and rehid the key before climbing back into the car.
"Anything else in the works?" Hermione teased as Ron pulled back onto the main road.
"No, that's all for tonight," he replied with a chuckle. "Gotta save something for next time, right?"
"Next time?"
"Of course next time. If you'd like to, that is. I mean…I don't know about you, but I had a great time tonight."
Her hand dropped onto his arm before finding his fingers and lacing them together with hers. "Tonight was…it was like a dream. A dream I never want to wake up from. Not that I should be surprised, but you exceeded my wildest expectations."
"Hmm…I think I kind of screwed myself over, then. When I take you to McDonald's and the budget movie theater next time, it'll be such a letdown."
"Honestly, we could eat saltines on the side of the road and I'd still love it…as long as I was with you."
"Noted. I think we have some saltines at home now…"
"Ronald…"
"Kidding, kidding. I'll at least spring for Ritz."
Her laughter echoed through the car as they pulled up to a stop sign. Ron put the car in park and flicked on his hazards before turning toward her.
"So, where to? Stop somewhere for a nightcap? Drop you back at your place? We can hang out with Harry and Seamus if you really want, but I'm not sure they really fit with the vibe of the night."
"As lovely as your roommates are, why don't we head back to my apartment."
"You got it," Ron said, switching on his turn signal to head to the north side of campus.
The rest of the way back, she was quiet. He couldn't tell if she was upset or happy or thinking or confused; her blank facial expression gave nothing away. She seemed like she'd had a great time, so hopefully he'd done a good job planning the evening. But he couldn't ignore the way her fingers were fussing with the strap of her clutch; something seemed to be making her anxious. He hadn't fucked up anything that he remembered, but maybe he just wasn't thinking clearly.
It wasn't until they were only a few blocks away that she suddenly turned to him.
"Do you want to come in for a drink? We still have the rest of that champagne in the trunk, right? Might as well finish that off."
"Good thinking," he responded with a grin, suddenly curious about her intentions. "Because, uhh, well, it'll go flat by tomorrow."
"Exactly. No use wasting it."
He pulled up in front of the apartment and jumped out of the car, hustling around to the other side to open the door for Hermione.
"Such a gentleman," she said as she stepped out.
They grabbed the cooler and champagne from the trunk before heading up the path toward the dark apartment. Hermione opened the door and flicked on the light, tossing her clutch on the table and kicking off her sandals.
"Wanna grab some glasses from the kitchen? I'll be right back," she said, stepping into her bedroom.
"Sure thing," he called. "Just in the top cabinet?"
"Umm, I think so? I don't know, we don't use them very much."
He finally located the glasses and poured two, setting them down on the counter after taking a swig of his. Leaning back on his heels, he surveyed the room.
Wonder what she's up to?
Before he could contemplate his answer too much, she popped back out of the bedroom and strolled toward him. Her breathing was a bit irregular, and she looked a little flushed. However, a newfound mischievous glint in her eye piqued his interest and sent his brain scrambling yet again. He handed her a glass, offering another toast to a lovely evening. Once they'd each taken a sip, she leaned forward and planted a deep kiss on his mouth, suddenly and without warning. The force almost knocked him backward, but he managed to steady himself without spilling any of his drink.
"So," she started, pulling back slightly, "it's been about six weeks, you know."
Five weeks, six days, fifteen hours, and give or take twenty minutes, but who's counting?
"Oh yeah, I guess it has! Huh, time flies."
Her narrowed eyes were boring a hole straight through him. "Which means I don't have any restrictions on my…activities any longer."
"Aha," he responded, running his fingernails up and down her arm as it erupted with goosebumps. "That's good to know."
She melted back into him, kissing up and down his neck and nibbling on his earlobe. "And I don't know if you noticed, but Parvati is out of town at the moment, and she won't be back all weekend."
"Hmm, good for h–" he started, interrupted by the involuntary moan that escaped his throat as she latched onto the angle of his jaw. The way his body was tingling, she was bound to kill him.
But she wasn't stopping, her fingers clawing at his back as her tongue swirled around the delicate skin of his neck. "So, I was wondering if you wanted to stay and continue the date …maybe see if we can take advantage of my newfound freedom."
Is she saying what I think she's saying? And where is this side of her coming from? On second thought, who cares!
"I think that might be the best idea you've ever had in your life."
With a quick giggle, she wrapped herself around him again, and he enveloped her in his arms, their mouths quickly finding each other. As she pulled him into the bedroom, her lips still attacking him ferociously, his closed eyes detected a dimming of the light. He separated from her for a moment and looked around. A dozen candles were lit around the room, each one a flickering beacon in the darkness. Hermione's eyes were blazing with the reflection of the flames, and her body language had changed completely. Gone was the polite, demure college student he'd met six months ago at the library, replaced by the determined, one-track-minded woman who stood before him. Slowly, she circled around behind him and pressed her chest to his back, snaking her hands up his abdomen.
It was almost too much for him, and he released a long groan. "Fuuuuck."
As she kicked the door closed behind him, she rose up on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "That's the idea…"