let's party like we're still fifteen because life wasn't so hard then [party]
12 Grimmauld Place hadn't ever looked so festive before. Streamers were lingering in the exposed beams, fashioned Hogwart House crests were in their own separate rooms- the Slytherin crest up in the attic, where he was absolutely sure a ghoul was hanging out- and food and drinks set up in nearly every room he could stuff them into. Thank Merlin
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Once ready, and not entirely sure where Ron was at the moment, she left a note by their usual spot next to the door, and disapparated with a turn of her foot.
Arriving at Harry's, she let herself in because she's Hermione.
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Her eyes went up and down the love her life, "Oh, Ronald, have you grown?" Her hand went to his wrist where his sleeve was too short, and her eyes noted his ankles through his Gryffindor-themed socks where his pants should have been. Well, nearly everyone looked a bit disheveled- though most had one thing in common: too tight and too short.
Her thumb massaged his hand, and noticed that he was looking a bit tired. It did seem like he had been working nearly as much as her lately. She didn't pry too much, knowing everything that he was probably handling, and they tried not to talk "shop" at home.
"What kept you?" She asked in an innocent enough tone, "I was getting a touch worried, as Harry seemed to make it here in time."
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He slid his wrist up in her grip until his fingers could catch around hers. As stressed as he might be, Hermione always had a way of getting to him and putting some of the tension from him, even when he was trying not to give her too many details.
It would be infuriating if he didn't love her so much since before he even knew that's what it was.
"I hit that extra growth spurt. Full on drained me. Slowed me down." He clicked his tongue.
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"Well, I think we need to get you and I a drink and get on his level," Hermione said nodding in Neville's direction, who had his school tie around his head and helped himself to the kitchen.
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"Neville is his own... He's Neville." It was almost like being back at Hogwarts before things went crazy. Sort of. Maybe that was the point.
Though it's not like Ron would have walked hand-in-hand anywhere with Hermione back then because he was an idiot and emotionally stunted. Some things sort of changed. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek anyway.
"This was a good idea." They definitely all needed this. He'd probably forget to tell Harry that but Hermione would remember. That's why she was his better half at least half the time.
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"Huh, Harry with a good idea. Who would have guessed?"
With that, Hermione's eyes danced around the drink offerings. "Well. What am I in the mood for tonight?"
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Ron hummed in uncertainty as he gave the drinks a once over. Just about anything you could ask for was there. He was stuck somewhere between straight whiskey (a necessity recently) or taking it easy.
What a conundrum.
"How nostalgic are we feeling tonight? There's the butterbeer stand by. Good throw back."
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"Excellent choice," she said grabbing one and handing it off to Ron, and then taking one for herself. "It really does bring me back. It makes me want to grab a book and brood about you in some corner of the commons." she nudged him a bit with her hip.
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It wasn't quite like that now, not now that there was a so obvious cause for them to be behind. And Ron was knee deep in a possible profession that gave him more than enough risk taking behaviors to get behind.
So it was better, to go with the tamer choices where he could, especially when it could get Hermione that pleased that easily.
Ron took a cup for himself, laughing into it. "Oh, yeah, you spent so much time brooding over me. You were always too smart to be that unproductive while I was running around being a git."
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"Trust me, I had plenty of time for both. It's amazing how much you can get done when you plan properly," Hermione said in her tone that showed her disappointment that not everyone could be like Hermione. "Though, I won't disagree with you running about being a git part."
She then reached up and ran her fingers through a bit of his hair, and stood back with a silly sort of smirk on her face. "You really have been working so hard, Ronald. I'm proud of you." In fact, Hermione couldn't recall Ron complaining about his increased workload even once in the last few weeks. It was a happy turnaround. Hermione had sort of expected quite the opposite after Fred.
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Things were going so well lately, and she was so busy, Hermione didn't step back to question it. Of course she was studying Ron for his tell-tale signs that he was heading for some kind of breakdown.
As far as Hermione could tell, Ron was actually fine. Sure, maybe a little sad depending on the topic of conversation, but he was out living his life. Maybe all the extra work at the ministry was exactly what he needed to remain levelheaded. She was grateful for it, and that he was finding peace in his work.
She licked a bit of the sweet foam off the top of her lip- honestly she was amazed how much effort Harry put into all this. And what with the taste of butterbeer on her lips, the uniforms, their friends- it really was almost like being in school again.
"So, Ron. If we were really back in the common room right now- what would you want to do?"
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They were in a room surrounded by people, everything so similar - in ways - to the parties they'd all gone to a million years go. Though, Ron had been a bit too dense to actually act on what he'd wanted to back then.
If all hell was going to break loose soon - which it would, without a doubt, as it always did - Ron wasn't going to let this bit of levity and this level of flirty escape.
"Probably what I always wanted to do," he told her, leaning closer so there wasn't much space left between them.
"Find a place no one else had claimed and see if I could convince you to come with me."
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Plus, Hermione knew it was true, it was very nice to hear that he wanted her back then, too.
But, she couldn't make it that easy for him. There was no fun in that.
An eyebrow shot up, though she couldn't keep the smile off her face, "And how would you have convinced sweet and innocent me to do something like that with you, hm?"
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"Well, back then, I'd have been too ridiculous. How about now, I'd tell you how beautiful you are and how much you always drive me crazy and I've only ever wanted to be as close to you as possible, but why would you ever want to put up with me anyway?"
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