Hermione had always cared about what other people thought of her. She felt the need to prove herself all her life. Being the only daughter of two of the most brilliant people she’s ever met came with the responsibility of living up to certain expectations. Her parents had never verbally expressed them, but there was something magical about seeing your mum and dad being so proud of your accomplishments.
When she arrived at Hogwarts she had been so excited she almost exploded. Reading about the greatest wizards and witches of all time inspired her and when she realised some of those were her teachers it was only natural she wanted to impress them. Being a muggle-born put her at a disadvantage Hermione wanted to prove wouldn’t hold her back.
She had also always struggled to make friends because her need to be perfect seemed to put off a lot of people. She was sure Ron and Harry had only been friendly to her because she would help them with their homework. A few years into their friendship had proven her wrong, they were friends with her because they couldn’t live without her - figuratively (and also literally). Harry had become the brother she never know she needed, and Ron the person she knew every girl deserved.
Hermione hadn’t planned to fall in love with Ron. He had been a pain in the arse for the most of her first years at Hogwarts. She wasn’t even sure she liked him at first until she realised that somewhere between their first Charms lesson and the start of their 5th year she had fallen in love. It took her another year or so to realise the intensity of her feelings and a heartbreak to understand that she simply couldn’t live without him.
After the war, they had taken it slowly, sometimes a little too slowly in Hermione’s eyes, but it all paid off in the end. People talked, they always do. The prophet loved to use their relationship as a counterpart to anything Harry related. Many said they wouldn’t last while others were convinced their whole relationship was some sort of stunt to distract the public from a rising rebellion. It was all talk and for the first time Hermione didn’t care. All she wanted to do was be with Ron. It didn’t matter what some stranger or even family members thought, because she knew it was real and that was all that was important.
Their year apart when she went back to Hogwarts was tough. They were both busy, forgetting to take care of themselves, as they didn’t have each other to do the job for them. Hermione hadn’t realised until then how often Ron had made sure she would eat, forced her to take breaks or just simply take her mind off of school and make her laugh.
They wrote to each other as often as they could and whenever it was possible he’d meet her in Hogsmeade walking towards her with his head low until they were out of sight and could just be with one another. Hermione cherished those quiet, intimate moments more than he would ever know.
Moving in with each other felt only natural once she graduated from Hogwarts. They had found a small place in muggle London, not far from the ministry. It was a rundown flat with cracks in the walls, but it was all they could afford and with some effort, they made it their first home. People heard about their new place and certain magazines made sure to publish articles about their crumbling flat being a metaphor for their unstable relationship. But Hermione didn’t care because they weren’t the ones coming home to Ron Weasley every day.
It was a challenging transition from barely seeing each other to being together for the majority of the day. There were times when they argued a lot with both of them being as stubborn and hot-headed as they were. But they knew that being apart from each other would be way more painful than any fight. Hermione was grateful for Ron’s easy-going nature and couldn’t stay mad at him for too long.
“I think I should sleep on the couch tonight,” she had said one night.
“Can I sleep on the couch too then?”
Marriage was a topic they had discussed but agreed on taking their time with it. That was until Hermione had drunkenly popped the question after a DA reunion at the Leaky Cauldron two and a half years into their relationship and Ron had shown her the ring he had purchased a week prior.
They were engaged for two years and once again people talked. Molly went full wedding planner on them and bombarded them with multiple ideas for wedding dates, but they had shrugged it off saying “Not yet.” The prophet had published at least three articles about possible secret elopements the two had had which were proven wrong every time. People had all sorts of opinions when it came to the length of their engagement, but Hermione didn’t listen to them. She knew they would get married and it was no one’s business but theirs when that day would be.
***
Hermione stares at the white gown in front of her. It hadn’t taken her long to pick out a wedding dress and with the help of her soon-to-be sisters-in-law, she had altered it into something unique. She knows Ron will love it because it is simply all her. If there has been one thing about their relationship that had been consistent it is the fact that Ron had always loved her for everything she is or was. The label of their relationship didn’t matter. He had loved her as a friend, girlfriend and fiancé and Hermione knew he will love her as his wife.
She glances at the bedside table focussing on the cream-coloured envelope on it. It had her name written on it in wonky handwriting that was unmistakenly Rons. She reached for the envelope and opened it carefully revealing a note and necklace.
‘I can’t wait to marry you. - All My Love, Ron’
I want to wear his initial on a chain 'round my neck
Chain 'round my neck
Not because he owns me
But 'cause he really knows me