Ron yawned as he closed the door behind him and scratched his belly through his sweater. It was almost 8 PM but there were still children coming to ask for candy.
The first time Hermione had told him about the Muggle tradition on Halloween night, Ron's brain almost stopped working. Kids would get free candy if they asked for it? All his childhood in Ottery St Catchpole, counting every knut so he could get a chocolate Frog a month, and just a mile down the road he could've gotten all the candy he wanted for one night!
Muggles didn't have chocolate Frogs of course but they had plenty of other fun confections that got Ron salivating just thinking about them. Plenty of chocolates and candy corns and liquorice and marshmallows... crunchy or soft, they were all so sweet and tasty and he couldn't get enough. It sure showed, he thought ruefully as he poked at his rounded middle. It had taken to refusing to let him button his pants as of late.
Another ring of the door. Ron groaned and got the bowl, glancing down to make sure it still had enough to satisfy both the parade of children and himself once it ended. It was still half-full, so he nodded to himself and opened the door.
"Trick or treat" chorused a ninja, a mummy, a dog, and a princess in a blue dress. A frazzled-looking woman was standing a few steps behind.
Ron gave the kids a big smile, knelt down and plunged his hand in the candy bowl. "Woah, you came all the way from Egypt to see me?" He said to the mummy kid, who giggled and nodded. "And you must have such a cool castle" he turned to the princess, who squeaked and looked down at her shoes. He followed up with a solemn "woof" to the dog boy, who answered with a laughing bark of his own. For the ninja child, he looked around with a confused frown on his face while putting candy in their little bucket before exclaiming "hey, I swear I had more candy in there! It's like someone invisible took it!" as he looked down to his bowl.
Laughing, the children thanked him and left while the woman that was maybe their mother nodded to him with a smile. He returned it. Deep down he thought she was lucky. Sure, it had to be exhausting to manage a bunch of sugar-rushed children, but all it took was a look at the kids' faces and their smiles to make him feel like he'd done something right.
More little rascals came by and Ron met every last one with as much of a personalized greeting he could give; he wasn't really up to date with Muggle pop culture and he hoped the kids wouldn't mind his ignorance. They didn't, most seemed to relish the opportunity to explain their choice of costume.
The candy in his bowl was disappearing alarmingly fast and it was only through sheer willpower that Ron didn't snatch any for himself. First the kids, then him.
Hermione came home in-between two candy raids, giving Ron just enough time to kiss her before tending to the third group of Avengers he'd seen tonight. He got all their names right, feeling a little stupid for being proud of himself over it, but the kids seemed happy with his greetings.
"Having fun?" Hermione teased, hearing the small whimper he made as he checked on his bowl
"I hope it's over" he sighed "there's hardly enough left for us"
"You mean for you" Hermione laughed, giving him a peck on the cheek
"You sure you don't want any?" He asked
"I won't come between you and your sweets" Hermione smiled before she pulled off her cloak and started to take off her shoes
"I'm afraid a whole army of kids has already done that" Ron said wistfully before he cringed as the door rang for the umpteenth time that night.
"You know you can give just one piece of candy per person?" Hermione said.
"That's something Filch or Umbridge would do" Ron scoffed
Hermione giggled as she watched her boyfriend standing in the doorframe. He put on a show for the kids at their door, the baggy orange sweater he wore unable to hide his budding paunch and his sincere smile framed by soft freckled cheeks. She licked her lips.
The trickle of trick-or-treaters finally ended at around 9:30, leaving Ron cradling a thoroughly empty bowl.
"No regrets?" Hermione asked sympathetically
"A few" Ron said "but the kids were happy, so it's good" he smiled
Hermione kissed him, letting her hand fall to his stomach and gently kneading. Ron gave a slight groan as he tilted his head back.
"You're so sweet" Hermione murmured into his lips
"From all the candy I eat" Ron deflected easily but feeling his ears heat up all the same
Hermione giggled. "So let's make you sweeter" she said before producing a bag full of dozen different sorts of Muggle candy.
Ron's jaw dropped. "Where did you get that?"
"I bought it before I got back" Hermione smiled mischievously "you thought I was going to deprive my boyfriend of candy on Halloween?"
"I love you" Ron said as she opened the bag under his eyes
"I love you" Hermione replied easily before plucking a sweet out of the bag "open for me?"
Ron opened his mouth to let her feed him while his heart bounced in his ribs. Tricked out of all his candy by dozens of precious children, now he was being rewarded with delicious treats.
Halloween had never been sweeter.