Life As We Know It

Chapter 2

After a long, hot shower, Hermione had dressed in what Mrs. Weasley would call "the style of the generation." While many older witches and wizards chose to spend their time in robes, the younger group preferred a style of Muggle clothing. Tonight, planning on sleeping in what she wore to dinner, Hermione wore an oversized pair of soft green pants and a form-fitting navy blue tank top. She was just squeezing a bit more water out of her hair with a towel when there was a pounding on her door.

"Hermiiiiiiiiiiione!" Ron bellowed loudly.

Hermione rolled her eyes and laughed. "You can come in, Ron."

The door opened and Ron entered, a sly grin on his face. Like Hermione, Ron had changed significantly since his first years at Hogwarts. Nearly 6'3", Ron had yet to fill out his lanky form, though Auror training had added a significant amount of tone to his body. He was built like a runner. His red hair was still slightly unruly, though Hermione didn't think he ever tried to do anything about that in the first place.

"Ginny sent me to tell you that we're here and that food will be on the table in fifteen minutes."

She smiled at him. "Ginny sent you?" she asked suspiciously.

He grinned back. "Well, she asked one of us to go, and I figured I'd offer. Harry and Ginny need their alone time. You know there's something going on between the two of them, even if they are keeping it in secret."

"Oh?" she responded with a grin, enjoying this game they were playing. "What makes you think they'd keep something like that a secret?"

"Ehh," he said, approaching her. He grabbed the towel out of her hands and tossed it over his shoulder. "I know others who have done it." With that, he placed his hands on her hips, slid them up and around her back and pulled her close.

"Hmm..." she responded ponderingly, sliding her arms around his neck. "It's possible."

He rubbed his nose against hers. "Entirely," he mumbled against her lips before kissing her.

Hermione finally broke the kiss with a breathless gasp. "Ron," she said seriously as he began to kiss her neck. "We can't continue to keep this a secret."

"Mmm...I know, 'Mione..." he mumbled against her, kissing her skin along the edge of her top. He sat down on her bed and pulled her onto his lap. Replacing his lips with a caressing hand, he looked up at her. "It's just not an easy thing to share, you know. 'Hey Harry, you know how you, me, and Hermione have been best friends forever? Well I've seen her naked.'"

"You think he doesn't already suspect?"

"Quite possibly, but you never know. Wanna tell them?"

"Me? Now?" she squeaked, sliding out of his lap.

"Well, not right now," he responded, pressing her down onto the bed and lifting her shirt to kiss her stomach. "We've got ten minutes until dinner."

She laughed, causing her stomach to shake under his lips. "I don't know what you think is going to happen in ten minutes, Ron Weasley. But we should tell them. Separately though. I don't want to make a huge deal out of this."

Ron kissed her stomach one last time, his nose bumping her navel. "Works for me. I'll tell Harry tonight over a game of chess. 'Checkmate. Oh, by the way, I've been shagging Hermione, sorry I didn't tell you."

"Ron!"