Starring: Ron

Ron sat in the library poring over his brother's books. This was the same thing he'd been doing for the past nine months now and he was actually...enjoying himself. Who would have ever known how interesting all this stuff could be if one only had the right book? It was lucky for Hermione that she could power through any book, regardless of its content. But Ron had to have something that caught his interest as well. Apparently, he and Bill were alike in this aspect since he had yet to come across anything he considered boring in this library.

At the moment, Ron was reading through Magnificent Potions Made in a Pinch: the Idiot's Handbook for Indispensable Recipes. Included in the book were various potions that could be made with only the barest necessities for innumerable situations. He was fascinated. He had already tried a few of them out; apparently the "Idiot" part was right. Even Ron, who had barely passed Potions, brewed them correctly the first time! He had copied down some of the more relevant potions. Ron was certain he would never need a potion to cure temporary insomnia of the foot...whatever that was, so he had most definitely left that one out. Personally, Ron enjoyed his foot staying awake

Tearing his eyes away from the heavy tome, Ron stood up and stretched. He put away the book and stored his notebook in his room, on his desk as usual. He sat down on his bed and pulled on his trainers. After he had readied himself, he walked through the flat, threw open the door and left.

Smiling to himself, Ron walked down the small cobbled street towards the bookshop. He had received an owl just that morning telling him that his book had just arrived. He enjoyed the brisk pace of his walk and let the small breeze play through his hair. He had been working out with Bill to keep in shape. As he was used to constant Quidditch practice, all this lazing about was making him edgy. He found, however, that exercising his mind was just as rewarding as Hermione had always told Harry and himself. His thinking processes were actually getting faster simply because he spent so much more time just concentrating. He had also been spending his time working with Bill on curse-breaking and learning more about charms from Bridgette. Along with everything he was learning from his books, he was becoming quite the well-rounded wizard. Hermione would be proud.

'Hermione,' he thought. 'I wonder what she's doing right now.' Before he could think any further, he was at the shop. He waved jovially at the robust shopkeeper. They had become rather good friends during Ron's quest to build his own personal library. The man, Roger was his name, was very friendly and knowledgeable. He could assess the customer's personality after a few conversations and a couple of quick questions and give them exactly the kind of books they both needed and would enjoy. He now knew Ron well and always had some excellent recommendations.

Today, though, Ron needed no advice. Ron was buying an especially important book: Hermione Granger's first book. As Roger handed Ron the book, Ron grinned widely. Muggle Arithmancy: How Close. Of course, she would pick some way to relate Muggles to the wizarding world. Looking closely at the cover, he searched for, and at last found, what he wanted: By Hermione Granger. His face lit up with pride and he hurriedly paid Roger and went back to his flat.

He split the book open on his lap revelling in the feeling of crisp new pages under his fingers. He read rapturously into the night. The book was a bit boring at times but Ron had no problem understanding what Hermione was trying to say. It also helped that it was HERMIONE'S book! She had done it at last.

Ron began to wonder how she did it. He knew that this Arithmancy was second-place to what she was really working with. She spent most of her time in London with the world's leading curse-breaker, Asher Turn. She had amazing thought patterns and no one doubted that she would help Asher solve the riddle of the Unforgivables. Her name was constantly in the papers about their latest discoveries in curse-breaking, albeit nothing on the Unforgivables which were proving more and more difficult. 'But then,' he reflected, 'that's Hermione for you.' She would do away with anything impeding the progress of what she really felt was important. He fell asleep with the book in his lap and Hermione on his mind.

*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

"No, I don't know, Ron!" she yelled.

"Don't know WHAT, Hermione?" Ron was becoming angrier by the second. "Don't know whether you love me? Whether you can FIT me in; whether I'm even WORTH fitting in?!"

Hermione chewed her lip. "All I'm trying to say is that I don't need any distractions. This is important, Ron. Not just to me but to the entire world. How can you be so selfish? Of course I love you. But, there have to be sacrifices..." She bit back a sob.

"A distraction," he seethed. Calming down he started to beg, "Hermione, please. I love you. We can work it out. We don't have to be separate. I can...I can help. I know I can."

Hermione gave Ron a trembling, but amused smile, as though the thought of Ron being of any use was a funny idea. "Honestly, Ron, you'd be bored out of your mind. It's better this way. It really is."

And she left. He stood there shocked. She was gone. It was over. His world whirled in confusion and he slipped to the floor and openly sobbed.

Ron awoke with a crick in his neck, tears on his face and a feeling of deep depression in his heart. He found HER book clutched tightly in his arms. Rubbing the tears from his face, Ron shoved the book onto his bedside table and got out of bed to take a shower.

After the shower, Ron felt decidedly better and grabbed for the newspaper. Spreading it across his lap, he sat before the fire. Throwing a bit of Floo powder in, he called Hermione's name. For Ron it was 10:30 Saturday morning; in London it would be 8:30 the same day but Ron was positive she would be awake.

True to form, Hermione's face appeared in the fire quickly. Her face brightened when she saw him.

"Ron!" she cried.

He smiled at her. "'Lo, Hermione. How are you?"

She grinned. "I'm wonderful. Cooking breakfast. I haven't heard from you in a while."

He shrugged a bit and said, "I've just read some of your book. You did a great job, Hermione. Even I," he paused ruefully, "understand it."

She looked shocked. "You...you bought my book?"

"Of course," he replied. "I asked Roger to order one in especially for me."

"Who's Roger?" she asked suspiciously.

"Oh, a bookshop owner I've become friends with."

"How?" Obviously she was still a bit suspicious as to how RON would know a bookshop owner.

"Oh, well, you know... I spend a lot of time at his shop and...well...we've just become good friends."

Hermione looked utterly astounded. She just stared at him for a moment. "So, you read..." she drew out.

He laughed loudly. "Yes, Hermione, I've just learned. I decided that literacy was a good thing and just went out and figured out how."

She grimaced at him. Ron had not told Hermione or Harry about his new job. They had only owled each other a couple of times since he had started and he quietly kept his news out of it. He had not known what he thought about the job, first of all, and did not know what they would think of it either. So, he had simply ignored it. Neither had brought it up, so he assumed they did not have time to read the newspapers. He, Bridgette and Bill had been in all the papers after their Akhenaten discovery.

After a brief pause, Ron asked Hermione how her work with Asher was going.

Hermione smiled and said, "Oh, wonderfully. We're going at leaps and bounds. Of course...we run into problems, but we're finding things about other curses that we never would have known otherwise."

He tried to persuade Hermione to tell him more about her work, but she playfully refused.

"You'd be bored with it, Ron. You don't have to ask to be polite."

Ron gave her an affronted look. "I'm not being polite, Hermione. I want to know."

"That's sweet, Ron, but really you don't have to."

He was quickly losing his patience. "Is it secret? Can you not tell me?"

"No, no. I just know you. You wouldn't be interested."

They argued for a few minutes but Ron, uncharacteristically, finally gave up. "All right," he replied, subdued.

Hermione had to run then, as she was burning something, and they cut off communication.

Ron stared into the fire for a moment and looked down at the paper. He finished clipping the article featuring, none other than, Hermione Granger and placed it into a box full of every clipping he had found of Hermione and her work. Shrugging, he placed the lid over it and stared morosely out the window.

"Right, I don't care. It's all bloody boring," he muttered sarcastically.

*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

It was Halloween. Ron sat at a table outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. Leaning carelessly in his chair, he ran his left through his hair and tried to seem nonchalant about his search. This year was their 10th anniversary of friendship; of the day he and Harry had saved Hermione from the troll and been bonded together. After leaving Hogwarts, they had decided to meet every year at this ice cream parlour to celebrate their friendship. So far they had only done it the first year.

They had not shown up last year, why this year? He thought of their excuses. Harry had been in the hospital recovering from some major work-related injury. 'Hmm,' Ron thought. 'I suppose that's acceptable.' And Hermione had been a party to an, apparently, earth-shattering meeting that she could not POSSIBLY have missed. He guessed that was ok too. Glancing at his watch, Ron decided to give them five more minutes; then he would leave. He had felt positively stupid last year when he waited all day and no one had shown up. He had sat outside the whole day while people passed him time and again, giving him odd looks.

The more he thought about last year's fiasco, the angrier he became. Finally, he stood quickly and went to take a giant step toward the street. In mid-stride, he saw a familiar face and he smiled warmly. He forgot that he was moving, however, and ended up in a tangled heap on the ground.

He heard her giggle.

"Bog off, Hermione," he grunted as he tried to extricate himself from...himself. Damn his long appendages.

He felt a pair of small, cool hands on his arms attempting to help him up. Of course, the act meant nothing since he was easily twice her size but the thought was comforting.

Before Ron even had a chance to brush himself off, he heard Harry.

"Oi, Ron!"

Ron's grin spread across his face and he and Harry put their right hands together. They pulled towards each other, with their joined fists between their chests and clapped each other on the back several times.

After the initial catching up, they walked, in a leisurely fashion, down the avenue chatting about old memories and older times. Suddenly they heard:

"Is that Harry Potter and...Hermione Granger?" one lady asked.

The other replied, "With that hair, who else could it be." Obviously they were referring to Hermione...

There was a general tittering and the second one asked, "But who's the red head with them? He's attractive..."

Ron smiled slightly.

"Oh wait," said the first. "They had a Weasley friend while at Hogwarts. I remember reading about it in the Prophet."

"Yes! I remember. He has to be a Weasley anyway; I've never seen another family with hair quite that red."

More giggles and a grimace from Ron.

The first spoke up again, apparently the women were walking behind them, "There was one famous Weasley. A Quidditch player, I believe. But it couldn't possibly be him. I can't imagine Mr. Potter and Miss Granger associating with someone with such insignificant employment..."

Ron's gait stiffened.

The second agreed then said, "Perhaps we should ask for their autographs."

Harry, Ron and Hermione quickened their pace at that suggestion and left the pair behind them.

They slipped into the Leaky Cauldron and took a seat. Hermione placed her hand on Ron's arm and he relaxed a bit.

"It's ok, Ron," she said, "WE know you're not a nobody."

Ron clutched his thigh with his right hand and bit his lip to keep from hexing Hermione for implying that everyone BUT them thought he was a nobody. He was sure she did not mean it...he hoped.

After a quick drink, the trio left the dark tavern and walked into the bright alley. As they walked together, chatting idly, Ron felt watched. Looking over, he saw Hermione surreptitiously looking at him through veiled eyes. Her mouth was partly open and she was looking him up and down. He felt a grin forming and as her eyes made their way slowly up to his face, their eyes locked. She made a startled face and promptly tripped, falling to the ground ungraciously.

Ron let out a bark of laughter and immediately felt contrite. Thoughts of his prior fall and her giggles made the grin come back, but he reached down and picked her up easily. Harry was surprised and kept asking if she was ok. Hermione mumbled whatever her answer was and walked quickly down the street. The two males looked at each other and shrugged, then made to catch up with her.

As Ron lagged behind a bit, he wondered what Hermione had been thinking. Her look had been both calculating and...admiring. He felt himself blush and walked quickly towards Harry and Hermione, hoping the breeze would cool him off before they noticed.

They spent the rest of the day together laughing and talking. But all good things must come to an end. As the sun set, finally, the three said their good-byes. Ron and Harry hugged goodbye and Hermione kissed Harry on the cheek. Harry Apparated quickly leaving Hermione and Ron alone.

They smiled at each other and leaned in to hug goodbye. Hermione stood on tiptoes and threw her arms around his neck and he hugged her close. She reached up and kissed him on the cheek but left her lips pressed there.

Ron felt his heart surge and adrenaline rushed through his body. He wanted to crush her to him and kiss her thoroughly. Instead, he hugged her tighter and, when she disengaged, leaned down to kiss her lightly on her cheek. After lingering only a moment, he straightened. Neither could see the other's face, only an outline. After a few seconds both Disapparated.

*---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

He walked into the room and there they were, Asher with Hermione in his lap, snogging like there was no tomorrow. His hands played across her hips and back and she ran her hands through his hair, moaning into his mouth. Suddenly she looked into his face and smiled shamelessly.

"Hi, Ron."

He was horrified, he was hurt. He had to get out. He could not move. She walked to him and he watched her body grow taller as she walked toward him. Her hair darkened and smoothed out growing longer, down to her hips. Her breasts threatened to break through her shirt and her hips expanded slightly with every step.

"Bridgette."

And then, she was kissing him passionately, running her hands across his body and sending him into a hot fury.

"You've got to get up sometime," she said.

Smiling wickedly Ron pulled her hard against him to show her he WAS up. She giggled, but she sounded so far away. Everything grew hazy. What? Where am I?

He awoke to find Bridgette sitting in the living room of his and Bill's flat. The sun was shining into the room, nearly blinding him. Her right leg was draped gracefully across her left and her hands were demurely folded in her lap. Her overall look, however, was not demure at all.

"B-Bridgette," he said. 'Brilliant, Ron.'

She smiled and stood up. "I hope you were thinking NICE thoughts. Though, by the way you said my name..." she trailed off, a devious smile on her face.

Dear GOD, what had he been dreaming? He had not said anything out loud had he? He struggled valiantly to remember the details.

"Don't look so confused, silly."

"Confused?" he asked, his voice cracking halfway. NOW he remembered his dream...he decided to skip the details for the moment. He could already feel a monumental blush building, even without recalling the particulars.

She smiled impishly at him. Sashaying over to him, she gave him a hug and pressed her body close. 'Did she really just sashay?! No, it couldn't be. She just walked over to you...calmly and normally.' Ron nearly died of a heart attack. God, she felt nice. Disengaging herself from him, she settled onto the couch and rearranged her legs. He sat in the armchair adjacent to hers, nervously.

She looked slyly at him, as though she was about to hit on him. 'Hit on me, hehehe. Yeah, right. Calm down those hormones, boy. Why would she want anything to do with you? You're a nobody. She's an amazing person...beautiful, intelligent, did I mention beautiful? We know how those kinds of women react to you. Forget about it.' But abruptly she said, "We've been assigned again."