Chapter 7: The Invitation

Hermione had woken up early completely out of habit. The sun had not even fully risen in the sky yet, though there was enough light filtering in through the curtains--enough that she really couldn't come up with a reasonable excuse to keep putting off the work that had piled up for her in the last week or so.

It was difficult to rustle up more than lukewarm enthusiasm for the all the research that still needed to be done, the reports that needed to be written. Since Ron had come back from Bulgaria, she had wanted to spend every waking moment with him, knowing that the next assignment that would take him away from her yet again would come soon enough; indeed it could come at any moment without much warning, as it always did, not giving either of them much of a chance to even say a proper goodbye.

So she had developed this odd ritual of hers over the last two years: waking up at the crack of dawn to finish something or another so she would not have to stay late at the office and risk missing precious time with Ron.

She had been concentrating so hard on this particular report that she was startled when she felt an unexpected, but very much welcome kiss on her neck.

"Ron!" she gasped. She looked up and saw him looking down on her, with that crooked grin that gave her goosebumps.

"Were you expecting someone else, Hermione?"

She couldn't help but laugh, even as she punched him playfully on the arm. "You're never awake this early," she said, then pulled him down to sit at the edge of her desk so he faced her.

"Mmm, but you always are," he said. He began to leaf through the pile of papers on her desk, then looked at her once more. "Come back to bed, love... I know you've been up for a while because your side of the bed is cold now..." He caressed her face and drew her close enough to him for a light kiss. She felt him smile against her mouth before he pulled away at just the right moment to leave her wanting more.

"You are such a tease," she said, giggling.

"Come back to bed," he whispered deviously, "and I promise I won't tease..." His breath tickled her earlobe, a dizzying sensation that made her momentarily lose track of what she had been trying to do here all morning.

"Ron," she murmured.

"Mmm hmm?"

"I... really do have to finish this..."

"Do you?" His lips were now grazing her jaw with feather-light kisses, and she was swooning so much now that it was difficult to form any kind of coherent thought in her head.

"Y-yes... Mr. Grey... won't be happy if it's not... done..."

"No, I imagine he wouldn't be..."

It took all her strength to gently push him off her, and even then, she was mad at herself for doing so. "Half an hour?" she said. "I'll work super quick and finish this, I promise..."

He grinned, his forehead still touching hers, making it damn near impossible for her pulse to slow down. "All right, whatever you wish..."

He hopped off the desk and winked at her before he began to walk away, and that was it--that was all it took. With a sigh of resignation, she put her quill down and reached for his hand before he could get too far away, pulling him back towards her. "Oh... the hell with the report!"

She captured his laugh in her mouth as she kissed him fervently, forgetting about Mr. Grey, forgetting about the report on the best ways to blend among the Muggles, forgetting about everything but Ron Weasley.

For all she knew, he would be going away again before long, and it would mean enduring agonizing days without him again. She was going to make damn sure she had something to get her through them.

"You don't play fair, you know," she said, both of them pausing momentarily to catch their breath.

"Me? You're the one who left your boyfriend all alone in a cold, empty bed..."

She scoffed. "And you're the one walking around without a shirt on... Just how did you expect me to resist you?"

"Well," he said, giving her another devious smile, "I didn't."

Somehow they found their way to the bed, laughing as they fell onto it. Ron held her for a long time when they did, just caressing her face, and tenderly brushing the hair out of her eyes, letting her know with each gentle touch just how much he adored and cherished her.

She placed her hand atop his as he rested it on her face.

"Do you realize," she said, "that you've been back for two weeks, and you've spent only three nights at The Burrow ever since?"

"Mmm hmm," he said. "Good thing Mum loves you so much, or I think she'd be a little miffed that you're stealing so much of my time..."

"Ron..."

"Yeah?"

She propped herself up on her elbow, running her hand lazily through his hair. "Why don't... why don't you just move in here... with me?"

The question must have taken him by surprise. He didn't say anything right away, only sliding up to sitting and leaning back against the headboard, his hand still interlaced with hers.

"What brought this up, all of the sudden?" he said softly. The words stung more than she could have imagined.

"Well... you're here all the time anyway," she said. "Come on, be honest, how often do you really sleep there in your own bed?"

His silence hurt her, but she wasn't going to push. The last thing she wanted to do was push.

"Hermione, we've talked about this before..." He released her hand and touched her face. "I know I'm being old-fashioned, but... you know how I feel about living together..."

"I see," she said. "But it's all right for you to spend the night with me however often you please?"

She regretted the words as soon as she said them. Ron couldn't say anything; he looked like a wounded animal who had just been ambushed.

Damn it, she thought. Why did I say that?

It was a low blow, and she knew it. Ron had been nothing but respectful of her from day one, never once pressuring her to do anything she didn't want or wasn't ready to do. He had always made it clear that their relationship was grounded in friendship and trust and love, above all else. Always.

She could feel her eyes beginning to sting with tears.

"I'm... sorry..."

"Hermione-"

He reached for her hand, but she pulled it away. She just couldn't do this right now.

"I'm going to make breakfast."

She slipped out of the bedroom and went into the kitchen, and had to stop at the counter to compose herself; she was crying. She felt Ron's hands on her shoulders moments later.

"Hermione, we need to talk..."

"Oh Ron, I'm so sorry... I never should have said that..."

She turned around and he collected her in his arms, holding her close, making her feel all the more guilty for having said what she did. The last thing in the world she would ever want to do was hurt him, of all people.

"Don't, shh... It's all right-"

"No, it's not all right! I don't want you to ever think that I... God, I'm sorry, Ron..."

"Hey," he said, "for all those times I made you cry when we were in school, I think you're entitled to lash out at me every once in a while."

She laughed softly in spite of herself. He gave her a small grin in response, then kissed her forehead and drew her close again, letting her cheek rest against his chest.

"Looks like there are some things we need to talk about, then," he said. But before she could say anything, he gently pulled away and walked towards the window.

"What is it?"

She turned and caught movement just outside: a flutter of white wings.

"Hedwig..." Ron opened the window and let the Snowy owl fly in until she came to rest on Hermione's countertop. "Got something from Harry, do you, old girl?" He untied the letter from her legs and unscrolled it.

"He's all settled in at Hogwarts?"

Ron nodded, then a goofy, lopsided smile began to spread on his face. "Listen to this... He wants to know if I'm willing to come and talk to his classes when they study vampires..." He read further, then frowned.

"What's wrong?"

"He wants me to come next week," he said. "But that's your birthday--I don't want to be gone on your birthday..."

This, she thought, is why I love him so much.

"He must have forgotten, or he wouldn't have asked me to come then..."

"Well... I could go with you, you know..."

He looked up at her. "Would you?"

"Sure... I'd love to go back there again, and it would be nice to spend my birthday with Harry and Ginny as well. Even if Harry did forget--and don't think I'll be letting him get away with that."

"You're sure? I mean, wouldn't you rather I whisked you away to Edinburgh or something?"

She laughed. "I'm sure. And besides," she said, "his students will adore you. Think how lucky they'd be to get the Ministry's most promising young Auror to speak to their class."

He blushed in that little boy way she so loved, then reached over and kissed her. "I love you, Hermione Granger."

"I love you too."