FIC: It'll Work Out (Ron/Hermione)

[shiiki]

Title: It'll Work Out
Author: shiiki
Rating: PG
Characters/Pairings: Ron Weasley/Hermione Granger
Fandom: Harry Potter
Word Count: 1,365

Summary: Hermione is upset that her parents don’t want to return to England. Will Ron be able to convince her that things will work out?

Notes: Written for the Ron/Hermione Spring Images!Fic Challenge with the following prompt:


Much thanks to my beta, magentabear!

Link to fic at Checkmated



Hermione curled her arms around her knees and stared out at the expanse of white, frothing sea in front of her. The grey clouds overhead cast an air of gloom over the entire beach, a gloominess which she felt mirrored her own just now. She screwed up her face hard and tried not to cry as the conversation she had just had with her parents played over again in her head.

Everything was supposed to be all right again -- it had gone nicely according to plan. She'd survived, come to Australia to find 'Wendell and Monica Wilkins', and lifted the enchantment. Mum and Dad remembered her now, had listened to her explanations, and accepted her apologies.

But they didn't want to go home.

'Hermione, you have to understand. Emigration -- it's a very big step to take. We have to uproot our lives, our connections, everything we're used to --'

'But you haven't even been here for a year!'

Her parents exchanged a glance.

'It was a very good year, sweetheart,' said her mum gently. 'And those are the clearest memories we have now.'

'This is a lovely place to live, Hermione, and we're enjoying it,' said her father.

'We don't have to go back.' Her mother smiled hopefully at her. 'I'm sure there's a more -- more peaceful magical community here for you, too, if you'd like to -- stay with us.'

It was then that she'd turned away, unable to continue the conversation any longer. She'd walked right out the door of the cosy little house that was home to her parents now and into the building gale. Ten minutes later she had found herself where she was now, on the beach looking out to the bay.

After a while, she became aware of someone next to her. He'd snuck up behind her, but the moment a distinct flash of red -- dull in this light, but nonetheless unmistakeable -- appeared she knew Ron had followed her out. He gave a little shiver and settled down next to her.

'Chilly, isn't it?' he said. 'Feels so odd, a storm like this in May.'

'We're in the Southern Hemisphere, Ron. They have autumn in May and spring in September.'

'Yeah, I know. That's why it's so strange -- everything's back-to-front here.'

That was exactly it, wasn't it? Everything was topsy-turvy. She was supposed to be happy now that the war was over and she'd reunited with her parents. They were supposed to want to come home with her.

'Hey,' said Ron after a moment when Hermione didn't reply. 'I suppose it isn't so bad here. I mean, it's still the same seasons even if they're back-to-front. And,' he swept an arm across, indicating the beach around them, 'I bet you'd love this place when it is spring. It'd probably be just like Shell Cottage.'

'Are you suggesting that I ought to give in and let them stay?'

'No ... I mean, I wasn't sure what you thought ... but I just thought if you were thinking you should stay here with them ... I suppose I could get used to it here, too.'

Hermione turned quickly to stare at him. Ron wasn't implying what she thought he was, was he?

'What?' he said, catching her eye.

'Nothing,' she said quickly, looking away. She could feel heat rising faintly in her cheeks, however. 'Well, um ... you could get used to it here?'

There was a soft pressure over her hand as Ron laid his on it. 'If you wanted to stay here, do you think I could leave you behind?'

'But -- your family -- Harry -- and with Fred-' she clapped a hand over her mouth as that last bit slipped out, cursing herself inwardly for bringing up the subject. Looking up, she saw Ron swallow hard.

'I wouldn't want to. But ... there's International Floo and even those airyplanes we took to get here, right? And blimey, Hermione, if you think I'm going to let anything keep me away from you after all that we went through ...'

'Oh, Ron.' She flung her arms around him and hugged him tight. 'I wouldn't want to be apart from you either,' she murmured against his shoulder. 'And -- no, we couldn't stay. It wouldn't be right to. Harry may have won but he still needs us. Your family needs you -- I couldn't make you choose. I -- we will have to go home, I just thought my parents would come, too. I can't quite wrap my head around the fact that they ... don't want to.'

'It's not quite fair, is it? Now you have to choose.'

Hermione sighed. It wasn't much of a choice. Her parents wanted to stay, hoped she might choose to stay with them, but if she were honest with herself they probably didn't expect her to, nor was their decision to stay contingent on her willingness to remain with them.

They had already let her go.

The hand smoothing her hair down her back reminded her that although she was going to have to make her own way now, away from her family, she wouldn't be going home alone. And as he'd said, with magic -- or even plain Muggle technology -- halfway around the world wasn't that far after all. She lifted her head and smiled up at him.

'I'd choose to be with you, too, Ron,' she said. 'And we both need to be back home. Just ... maybe not right away. I'd like to spend a little more time here with my parents first. A bit more time before I say goodbye again.'

'Don't worry. We'll come visit them as often as you like.' Ron looked out at the rolling waves. 'They might have a cold spring, but it would be nice to get to someplace with a warm winter. That would be a nice holiday to take our kids on in the future.'

Our kids. The words had fallen so fluidly from Ron's mouth he hadn't even noticed what he'd said. Hermione felt butterflies erupt in the pit of her stomach at the thought. She pictured herself ten years later, sitting with Ron on this same beach, a young girl and boy standing near the water, their arms slung around each other's shoulders, delighted to be on a summer holiday in winter ...

The image faded and then there was just Ron's face swimming before her eyes, the same face she knew she wanted to see every day for the rest of her life.

'Kids?' she teased softly.

For a second, Ron looked at her in bewilderment, then the implications of his own words caught up with him and his face started to flush a deep red.

'I -- I didn't mean -- I -- well, I just -- I'd like to -- one day, of course --'

Laughter bubbled out of Hermione's throat. She reached up and steered Ron's head toward her, cutting off his stammering with a kiss.

'It's okay,' she said. 'I appreciate the sentiment. And I like the picture it makes, too.'

'Hermione --'

But their lips met again, effectively silencing their discussion.

+++

Fifteen years later ...

The short, frizzy-haired girl stood on the edge of the beach, pointing out excitedly to sea.

'Look!' she exclaimed. 'Look, Hugo, dolphins!'

'Where?' asked her brother, standing on tiptoe beside her to see.

Rose Weasley slung an arm over Hugo's shoulder and pointed to where two of the magnificent sea mammals were leaping through the waves.

From their picnic mat further up along the sand, Hermione watched her children with a strong sense of déjà-vu. Turning in her husband's arms to face him, she said, 'This feels familiar.'

'Well, even if it's the kids' first time visiting your parents, we've been here before.'

'Do you remember the first time we came here? Just after the war?'

'What, after you fixed up your parents' memories? Did we come here?'
Hermione shook her head at Ron's abysmal memory. Although it had been a long time ... 'That was when I found out they didn't want to come home with us.'

'Oh, I do remember that -- you were really cut up over it.'

'Yes,' she said. 'But everything's worked out all right, hasn't it?'

'Sure,' said Ron lazily. 'I knew it would, of course.' He tapped his head. 'My Inner Eye saw it all.'

'Oh, you,' said Hermione. 'Come here.'

And she pulled him in for a kiss.