Day Twenty-Four
Ron is used to waking up to a faceful of curls, though usually, they’re jet black and attached to his boyfriend's head, not the chaotic fluff of Hermione’s bed head. He panics a little when he realizes that he’s wrapped around Hermione, but she sleepily drags his arm back over his waist.
“He woke up early,” she mumbles. “I think he had nightmares,”
He sighs and presses a kiss to her shoulder. “Of course he did,”
“It was only an hour ago, I think,” she says, turning over to look at him. “Hi,”
“Hi,” he grins, kissing her lips this time.
She hums happily. “You probably need to get up, huh?”
“I’ve got a little time,” he murmurs in her ear.
She laughs but flips over to kiss him better, tangling their legs together. It’s slow and sleepy, mouths and hands exploring skin without limitations. Ron was still confident in his choice to join the Aurors, but it admittedly left significantly less time for being with his partners.
“Do you have- time to-” Hermione asks between kisses.
“Yeah, yeah,” he says breathlessly, rolling on top of her. They move a little more urgently now, shucking off the little clothing they put on last night before going to bed. They moan into each other’s mouths as skin meets skin, hands exploring new territory. “Merlin, I love you,”
“I love you too,” she whimpers. “God, you feel so good,”
He laughs. “I’m just laying here,”
“You’re doing a little more than laying,” she giggles, rolling her hips up teasingly. “You could be doing a lot more,”
“Alright, alright,” he snorts, reaching for the bottle that now never left her nightstand. “So needy,”
She sticks her tongue out at him playfully, making him laugh again. He slicks up his fingers and hovers over her again, kissing her deeply. She gasps as he starts to stretch her open, maybe a little faster than he would if they had unlimited time. “Baby, please,” she finally says, pulling away for air.
He nods and pulls his fingers out, bracing himself on the bed and pushing in. “Fuck, baby, you feel amazing,”
She makes a soft noise and wraps her arms around his neck, drawing him in closer. He steadies himself on one elbow and runs the other hand over her body, grabbing and kneading whatever he can reach. It’s slow at first, their bodies still warming up from their sleepy kisses. He doesn’t notice that they start moving faster, too focused on the feeling of their bodies intertwined, until Hermione starts making little punched-out noises, and her nails drag over his back.
“You need more, baby?” he asks when he can feel himself getting close. He slides his hand between them to punctuate the question with his meaning.
“Yes, please,” she begs. “So close,”
“You’re so pretty like this,” he murmurs, still kissing her between words. “Feel so good- my good girl- brilliant girl- come on baby- cum for me,”
Like always, it’s the words that send her over the edge, whimpering into his mouth as she climaxes. She doesn't slump beneath him, though. Instead, she somehow draws him closer, kissing him so hard he’s worried they’ll bruise, tipping him into his own finish. Their heated kisses turn soft once more, descending back into the soft haze now from afterglow instead of sleep. Eventually, his arm gives out and she lets him rest on her, head on her shoulder as she cards her fingers through his hair.
“Well,” she laughs softly after a minute. “We should wake up early more often,”
“Think it’ll make the papers if I call in on my second day?” he mumbles, only mostly joking.
“Oh, definitely,” she chuckles.
He groans and pushes himself off her. “You wanna shower with me?”
“I’m still jelly,” she shakes her head. “Run me a bath when you’re done?”
“Sure,” he hums, kissing her softly. “What about-”
She grabs her wand and spells away the mess. “I’m a witch, aren’t I?”
He shakes his head at her, grinning. “Have I told you I loved you today?”
“Yes!” she laughs. “Now go shower, or you’re going to be late,”
✦✦✦✦✦
Harry is exhausted. He had had proper nightmares last night, nightmares like he hadn’t had in weeks. He takes comfort in knowing that they’re just memories. There’s nothing in his head anymore. No need to wonder if he should act. What doesn’t help is that he dreamt of Sirius falling into the veil.
It occurred to him first thing when he woke up, that Sirius never told him about Regulus at all. Ever. Logically, he knows it has nothing to do with him. Sirius had been skeptical of everyone, especially of Regulus. He probably never even knew the truth of what his brother had done, nor did he ever have the chance to learn. Still, it stings that he never mentioned him. Never thought to tell him about the man his parents had loved.
So yeah, he was exhausted and maybe a little bit grumpy.
Seeing Ron rushing out the door in his auror robes with barely a kiss goodbye hadn’t helped his mood.
And the newspaper article sitting in front of him definitely is making it worse.
“This is ridiculous,” Harry groans.
"Potter's Priorities: Is the Wizarding World Losing Its Savior?"
While the wizarding world recovers from the aftermath of You-Know-Who’s reign, many wonder why Harry Potter is not amongst them to clean up the wreckage. Ministry insiders state that The Chosen One’s one best friend, Ronald Weasely, has joined the auror program to help catch the remaining death eaters. Perhaps our savior is secretly selfish? Or perhaps the weight of his traumatizing life has finally broken his mind?
When contacted for a statement, Potter’s representative declined to comment. Our ministry insider says that The Boy Who Lived has been at odds with the Ministry ever since The Battle of Hogwarts, declining to make appearances or participate in post-war efforts.
We’ve yet to see Hermione Granger on the scene. The two had a fling during the Triwizard Tournament several years ago. Perhaps two young lovers have holed away to heal from the stress of battle, casting Mr. Weasley out of their midst. Whatever the situation, we can only hope to catch a glimpse of Harry Potter sometime soon.
“I’m afraid time’s run out, Harry,” Percy sighs. He had shown up moments after Ron had rushed out the door, hoping to catch his brother and warn him. Instead he was the unlucky victim of Harry’s bad mood.
“What’s the point, Perce? I mean, do I really need to be seen? And why are they bothered about me anyways there are much more important things going on,”
Percy rolls his eyes. “You’re the savior of the wizarding world. You really think they’re going to let you live a quaint life?”
“I mean, you’d think I earned that,”
“The point is, Harry, people think you don’t care anymore. And it hasn’t even been a month. Do you know what kind of impact that will have on ensuring the right people step up to the plate?”
Harry huffs. “Alright, alright, I get it,”
“There’s a Wizgamont meeting tomorrow. You should attend and take your seat like you promised Kingsley,”
Harry pales. “By myself?”
Percy softens, sensing his distress. “No, I think all three of you should go. And I’ll come as well,”
“Alright, fine… fine,”
“You’ll need robes,” he frowns. “I’ll see what I can get,”
“Thanks,” he sighs. “I appreciate it, Percy, despite my grumbling,”
“Of course, I’ll see you at dinner tonight then,”
Harry grimaces, having forgotten in his exhaustion. “Right… is everyone you know okay with coming here?”
“More than!” Percy grins. “I think they’re all a bit over-excited if I’m honest,”
He frowns, glancing at the paper again. “Percy, has anyone else seen this? At your house?”
“Ah,” Percy coughs. “I think Dad might’ve, but I swiped it before anyone else did,”
“Good,” Harry sighs. “Ron’s going to tell them tonight. He only started two days ago I didn’t think it would get out this quick,”
“Lovely. I’ll be sure mum doesn’t see,”
“Thanks, mate,”
Harry walks Percy to the door since his floo isn’t hooked up yet. It’s not far to apparate to the burrow anyway.
“Harry? Is someone here?” Hermione’s voice calls from upstairs. She appears at the landing, her hair wet.
“It was just Percy,” he explains, looking up at her. “Bad prophet article. I’ve got to go to the Wizgemont meeting tomorrow. You and Ron should come too,”
“Should as in …”
“Should, as in people think we’re dating and have cast him off,” Harry snorts.
Hermione rolls her eyes. “If they only knew the truth. Imagine the headlines then,”
“Let’s not,”
“Wait, did the article mention Ron joining the-”
“Yep,”
“Oh dear,”
“Percy said he’d hide it from Molly til tonight, but…”
“Oh, Merlin,” she sighs. “And Ron has no clue,”
He runs a hand through his hair, trying to push it off his forehead. Maybe he should ask her to tie it up again. “That’s why Percy came. He was trying to catch him. I’m sure it’s all over at work, though,”
She makes a frustrated groan and leans a little heavier on the banister. “Maybe we should’ve… I feel like this is my fault,”
“What?” he yelps. “Why would it be your fault?”
“I’m the one who didn’t want to say anything, and the papers are making things up anyway,” she says tiredly. “Maybe we should have done something before he started,”
“We wanted privacy. There’s nothing wrong with that, honey,”
“I know, but now everyone’s going to be asking him, and what is he supposed to say?” she rambles on. “It looks bad, Harry, it really does,”
“I see your point, but if you both come to the meeting tomorrow, then it should help,” he counters.
“Alright, alright,” she concedes, throwing up her hands. “But we should still talk about it with him,”
“Of course we will,” he smiles up at her.
“You look tired, sweetheart,”
“I am,” he answers honestly, knowing he can’t hide it from her.
He waits for her to press further but she doesn’t for once. Instead, she walks down the steps towards him, stopping one from the bottom so they’re the same height. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses his scar softly, a reminder that it doesn’t hurt anymore. “Have you eaten?”
“No,”
“Then let’s get breakfast, and then you can put your head on my lap while I read and nap,” she says softly, hands running over the tense muscles in his neck. “Okay?”
He hums and leans into her touch. “I love you,”
She laughs softly. “I love you too. Everything’s going to be okay,”
For once, he believed her.
✦✦✦✦✦
“Is Ron not home yet?”
Harry turns away from the stove to see Hermione leaning against the counter, wringing her hands nervously. “No, I haven’t heard him,”
“He’s late!” she hisses. “They’re going to be here any minute, they’ll see him in his uniform,”
He opens his mouth to reply, but a bell chimes, cutting him off. Ron would have just walked in. “Shit,” he mutters. “Well, here we go,”
Dizzy must answer the door because soon enough, there are voices in the hall, excited and happy, the sounds of family filing in.
“Harry? Hermione, Ron?”
“In here!” he calls back. Then softer to Hermione, “If we can keep them in here, maybe they won’t see him come home,”
“Right,” she nods before putting on a big smile. “Hello!”
“Hello, you two!” Arthur calls cheerily, leading the parade of loved ones. The entire Weasley clan, plus Fleur minus Charlie, file into the kitchen. Luna and Neville are right behind them and it’s a flurry of hugs and excited hellos.
“Oh, Harry, it’s a wonderful house!” Molly says, beaming with pride. “Oh, do you need help, dear?”
“I got it, Molly,” he laughs. There’s another bell chime, and he and Hermione both freeze.
“Hello?”
He sighs in relief when Andy appears in the doorway, holding Teddy. He rushes over eagerly to take his godson, putting his back to the hallway. “Um, we’re all out in the garden if-”
“Where’s Ron?” Ginny asks suddenly, noting the lack of her brother.
“Uh,” he says lamely, looking at Hermione.
“I’M HOME!”
Shit.
“Home?” Molly asks questioningly.
He throws a glance over his shoulder, hoping Ron will get the memo to head straight upstairs and change, but he’s not even looking at him. “Uh, yeah, he just-”
“Ran out to get something for me!” Hermione says loudly, drawing everyone’s attention back to her. Unfortunately, it also draws Harry’s, so he can’t try to warn his boyfriend before warm hands are on his shoulders and a kiss is pressed to his cheek.
“Hey, when is my family- oh,”
Everyone swings back around to look at them, and Harry tries to shift his body to hide the uniform, but it’s too late. Everyone’s seen.
“Ronald Weasely, what are you wearing?”
“Er, mum, I can explain, I-”
“Food’s ready!” Harry calls, desperately trying to save his boyfriend. “Dizzy set up a table out back for us all,”
“Yes, but-”
“Yes, let’s go outside!” Hermione says awkwardly, gently ushering the clan out the French doors. They all reluctantly allow themselves to be herded into the back garden.
“Go change,” Harry hisses over his shoulder. “You are so fucked, mate,”
“Bloody hell,” Ron groans, spinning on his heel to change as fast as humanly possible.
“This looks lovely, Harry,” Luna says cheerily when he joins them outside. Dizzy had put all the food on the table without even being seen somehow. “I didn’t know you could cook,”
“Er, yeah,” Harry shrugs. “The muggle way, at least,”
Ron joins them a moment later in a t-shirt and jeans, the food enough of a distraction to keep the questions at bay. He slides into the chair next to Harry and leans over to coo at Teddy, clearly trying to avoid eye contact with his family. Hermione clears her throat, breaking the terse silence.
“So, Neville, how is Hogwarts coming along?” she asks.
“It’s going great, actually,” he grins, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “It’s a lot of work, but the castle itself sort of just… fixes things? We make plans to sort something out, and the next morning, it’s just fixed. It’s wild,”
“Wicked,” Ginny grins from down the table.
“Is it actually opening again in September?” Hermione asks. There’s a burning curiosity in her eye that Harry wants to ask her about, but he’ll have to later.
“That’s the plan,” Neville answers. “Professor McGonagall is still working out something for the people that missed- eighth years, we’re calling them, but we’ve got time,”
“I see,”
“I bet you could help, actually,” he offers. “You should write her a letter,’
Hermione and Ron share a small, knowing look and smile at each other. “I’ll have to do that,” she says softly.
Neville, in turn, looks down the table at Bill and asks something about Gringotts, and the whole table turns to conversation about reparations and progress. Harry tunes it out mostly, focused instead on Teddy and his boyfriend's shrunken frame. His shoulders are drawn tight like he’s trying to make himself smaller. It only gets worse every time he looks up at Molly, who sits across from him. Even though the conversation flows, everyone is casting glances, waiting for answers. Even Fleur looks nervous, her usual cool composure broken by the piercing gaze she has, not on Ron, but on Molly. Still, it’s not until bellies are full and plates are cleared that Ron breaks.
“Alright, Mum,” he sighs, sinking back in his seat. “Ask,”
“Why were you wearing an auror uniform?” she asks briskly.
“Because I’m an auror. Well, auror in training,”
“I saw it in the paper this morning,” Bill grins. “Congratulations, Ron,”
“Wait, really?” he asks in surprise, sitting up a little taller.
“It’s only been your dream job since you were six,” Percy chuckles. “Of course, we’re happy for you!”
“We most certainly are not!” Molly squawks in indignation.
Ron shrinks back in his chair again.
“How did you even get in?” she asks. “You haven’t taken your N.E.W.T.S!”
Arthur coughs. “They’ve waived the requirement for anyone who fought in the battle, dear,”
“Well, that’s ridiculous,” she scoffs, then she rounds on Harry and Hermione. “Surely you can’t be happy with this? Either of you?”
“It’s what Ron wants to do,” Hermione shrugs. “It’s his choice,”
“And you, Harry?”
He panics, adjusting Teddy in his arms as a temporary delay. Ron reaches over and grips his knee, giving him a pleading look. He smiles at him and places his own hand over it, rubbing his thumb over his knuckles soothingly. “I think Ron is going to be a terrific auror. I can’t think of a better job for him,”
Ron’s eyes go soft, and he wraps an arm around his shoulders, pressing a kiss to Harry’s forehead. “Thank you,” he whispers.
“Yes, but not now,” Molly insists. “I mean, you’re-”
“And why not now?” Fleur says coldly, stopping Molly in her tracks. “Ron has proved he is capable. He is a war hero, no? When will you see Molly that your children are not children? You have spent far too many years telling them they are not enough, I should think after the last year you would realize there are more important things than the picture-perfect lives you have planned for them,”
“I- I-” Molly stammers.
But Fleur isn’t done. Harry thinks she’s been holding this in for a long time. “Think of how afraid your own children were to tell you who they were dating. How you are the most feared presence in their life, and we have just fought in a war!”
“That’s different. Can’t a mother worry!” Molly exclaims. “Am I not allowed to have opinions?”
Fleur scoffs. “You may. But your opinions are not commands,”
An awkward silence settles over the garden, all of them in disbelief that Fleur had just done that. Luckily, or maybe unlucky, Teddy starts to fuss, and Andy stands up to take him. “Oh, it’s getting late. I should take him home,”
Arthur clears his throat. “Perhaps we should as well. Dinner was wonderful, you three. Thank you for having us,”
Molly bristles a bit but puts on a fake smile. “Yes, the house is lovely dears. Thank you,” Then she rises from the table and disappears inside without a goodbye. Ron slumps beside him and Harry hands Teddy off in favor of hugging him.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers.
“She’ll come round, son,” Arthur says, smiling sadly. “For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you,”
Tears fill Ron’s eyes, and he bolts to his feet, rounding the table to hug his dad tightly. “Thanks, Dad,”
“You’re welcome,” Arthur pats Ron on the shoulder before following his wife back inside. Andy isn’t far behind, giving them all hugs and congratulating Ron once more.
With the “adults” gone, Ron turns to his siblings, looking hesitant.
“Oh, don’t give us that look. We’re all proud, you git,” Ginny smiles up at him.
“Really?” he sniffs. “You really are?”
“Of course, mate,” Bill grins.
“Fred would have been proud of you,” George’s soft admission stuns them all once more. Harry’s sure it’s the first time Fred’s name had been spoken since the funeral.
“Thanks, George,” Ron smiles.
“‘Course he would have made fun of you for being one,” George adds with a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. The joke breaks the tension, though, making them all laugh.
“Well, I, for one, want a tour,” Ginny grins. “Care to show us around your manor, Harry?”
“Oh, come off it, Gin,” Harry laughs. “Sure,”
After the tour, Bill, Fleur, and Percy bid them goodnight but the rest of the crew pile around a bonfire in the back, laughing and chatting like the old days. It reminds Harry of being in the Gryffindor common room, sitting around the fireplace, sharing candy, and complaining about homework. It helps that they all pointedly avoid anything to do with the war, instead asking if they’re going to do anything to the house and talking about the future.
By the time their friends leave, the three are exhausted and collapse in the library, not quite ready to trek upstairs.
“Well, that was… eventful,” Hermione sighs, flopping into her favorite chair.
“Hmm, no kidding,” Harry sighs, settling into the couch across from her. Ron plops down next to him, laying his head in Harry’s lap.
“Thanks, you know,” he mumbles. “For bein’ on my side,”
“Of course,” Hermione smiles. “How was it today, by the way?”
“Annoying,”
“The article?” Harry guesses.
“Yes! You’d think a bunch of aurors wouldn’t care, but they’re bloody gossips, the lot of them. I was about to hex some of them, I swear,”
Hermione shoots Harry a knowing glance. “I’m sorry, honey, what were they asking?”
He scoffs. “What do you think? If you were dating, of course,”
Harry hesitates. “Do you- do you want to make a statement? I can let Percy know. Probably could be out tomorrow evening,”
He sits up abruptly, looking at Harry like he’s crazy. “And have more people in my business when I’m trying to work? No, thank you! This’ll die down in a few days,”
“We just don’t want you to feel shut out,” Hermione explains.
He waves her off. “I’m sure by tomorrow it’ll be old news,”
“Well…” Harry sighs. “About that,”
“What?”
“Think you could get a couple of hours off for the Wizgamont meeting?”
Ron turns to look up at Harry, concerned. “What? So soon?”
“Percy says I should,” he shrugs. “And that you two should come with, combat the rumors a bit,”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Ron frowns. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”
“I don’t think I have a choice,” he says grimly. “Think of what might happen if some dark lord wannabe sees that I don’t care what’s going on anymore,”
“That’s a bit paranoid, love,” Hermione frowns.
“Maybe, maybe not, but the point stands that people think I don’t care. And I do care, I want things to be better,”
“Alright,” Ron sighs. “Just- just be careful, okay? I don’t want you to get worked up and go ghost, talk about a headline,”
“I will,” Harry assures him. “I’m sure no one will even care that I’m there,”