There was a crisis afoot.
How could she have messed this up? How could Hermione Granger, gifter of homework planners and queen of color-coded schedules, do something as bad as forget about their anniversary?
They didn’t celebrate their anniversary on the day of their coming together as a couple, no; that day was the day fifty souls, including Ron’s brother, were lost in the halls of Hogwarts in one of the worst fights of the second war against Voldemort.
Instead they’d chosen to celebrate on the first of September, the day of their first ever meeting. He’d thought she was a swot and she’d thought he was a mess. Halloween really started their relationship, but it was always a good thing to remember their first impression of each other was… perfectly accurate.
Hermione was a swot and a pain in the neck, but she was also often right and did want the world to be better. Ron was a mess with hardly an idea of what to do with his life, he was also devoted to his friends but not so much that he’d let them walk all over him.
Ron loved Hermione’s cleverness and hated her condescension. Hermione loved Ron’s devotion and hated that he wouldn’t use it for meaningful things like good grades.
When they left Hogwarts to begin work as adults, she’d discovered how meaningless grades were in the world of ministry work. She only had one performance report for the year and there was never an appraisal to suggest what she could do to improve. Tax forms were managed by cold, unfeeling magic and a mistake on them could incur a penalty and at worst an investigation, which left Hermione agonizing until Ron, exhausted and exasperated, called Percy so Hermione could get a second opinion and finally eat dinner - at 1 AM.
Ron took to adult life better than she did. When one can clean a room with a flick of the wand, it just seems petty to complain about messes and haphazard socks. Underneath his boyish demeanour was a rather sappy chap who wouldn’t be caught dead forgetting an occasion to bring her a bouquet or a card for no reason, just because he wanted to see her smile. He was the main romantic force in their relationship, planning dates and getaways, and he was not above forcing her to use her vacation days at point-blank puppy dog eyes to get her away from work.
This was why Hermione had begged him to let her plan their anniversaries. With a year to prepare, she could do anything! She made reservations, she organized, she planned. As the year went by, she got calls, she got excuses and refunds, and she told herself she’d call back but she was at work; by the time she was free the only thing in her mind was Ron, dinner and bed, and maybe some more Ron in-between. All the projects she prioritized, telling herself she’d make it up to Ron on their anniversary, left her today with nothing but panic and once again, a feeling of having played herself.
School had given Hermione confidence - she was smart, she knew more than most. It had boosted her career on account of academic excellence and respect in her field of choice. But it had done nothing to ease her anxieties, or teach her how to read the room, or how to be a good girlfriend to her sweetheart of a boyfriend.
Was that a death knell she heard? No, just the doorbell. For all the difference it made…
Head low, forcing herself not to cry, Hermione went to open the door and began to bawl at the sight of a soggy Ron holding a rose bouquet. His bright smile immediately vanished as he saw her state and he quickly herded her into the apartment, not even drying himself as he asked how he could help.
That only made Hermione bawl harder.
“How can you be so- so good?” she cried, and Ron went still. “I keep working and dedicating everything to my work while you always find time to care for me and be there for me - and on the one time it was my turn, when I swear to myself I’ll repay you for it all and fail, you’re right back to me, worrying about me, not concerned the least bit about how I keep on neglecting you! You’re too forgiving, you’re too kind, Ron. I don’t know how you put up with me.”
Ron opened his mouth but Hermione shushed him.
“Don’t. Don’t try to find excuses for me. You’re the kindest, most patient man I know-” Ron made a choked sound - “and I’m so, so lucky to have you. I failed to demonstrate it tonight.”
Ron gently put a finger to her lips.
“I think telling me I’m the best thing in your life is pretty good, don’t you think?” He smiled, redder than she’d ever seen him.
Hermione laughed through her tears. “I didn’t even say that.”
“My bad, you just said I was kind and forgiving and you couldn’t believe your luck you landed a great guy like me.” His voice had taken on the self-deprecating inflection she was achingly familiar with, his need to make her feel good even at his own expense never far.
“You’re right. I can’t believe it.” Hermione countered and smiled at his surprise, before she pulled him close in a heated kiss. When she pulled back, Ron looked a little dazed. “And yes, you are the best thing that ever happened to me. Thank you, Ron, for being in my life.”
“You too,” he mumbled, still having trouble processing all these words and all the love in them, all of it for him.
Hermione kissed him again. And again. And she’d keep on kissing him and more. Tonight she was going all-in on making Ron feel her love, and when Hermione Granger went all in, you better be sure she delivered with exceptional results.