Ron craned his neck over his shoulder, trying to get a good look at his back. There had been several gasps in the room after he had turned around, and now Ron wanted to know what all the fuss was about. He couldn't see what they were all staring at, but he could feel it...it was like some sort of cut slashed down his back, it's shape jagged like...

"It's a scar," Harry answered for his friend. "And it looks just like mine."

Harry fingered his own scar on his forehead as Ron whipped back around, astonished at the news. Understanding flooded his senses, he instantly knew what had happen. Still, he couldn't believe it. That would mean that she...that Hermione still... that maybe they could...

"What is that?" Lavender asked quietly, looking about the room to see if the others were as confused as she was. Not a one of them was; they all looked like they knew perfectly well why Ron had a near identical scar to Harry Potter's.

"How did you get that Ron? How were you able to survive that curse...did you do a shield charm?"

Lavender chewed worriedly on her lip. Ron sighed and pulled his shirt back on, quickly buttoning it back up.

"No, I didn't do a shield charm."

Ron seemed almost unable to go on, begging Lavender with his eyes to understand, to make the connection.

"I was willing to die for him," Hermione said then, uttering her first words since returning to the house. "It protected him. Just like Harry's mother was able to protect him with her love."

"Love?" Lavender said, as if not understanding the word. "You...you love him?"

All eyes were on Hermione then, but she didn't see any of them. She stared at Ron, in a way she hadn't allowed herself to look at him since he had first walked across the threshold of her cottage.

"Yes."

Her response was simple. She'd said the word plainly, it needing no embellishment. Yes, she loved Ron Weasley. It was the most obvious thing on Earth.

At her declaration, Ron let out the breath he had been holding and took a step toward Hermione. He was halted by Lavender, who put a hand on his arm to pause him. Ron looked back at her as if he had forgotten she was standing there.

"Ron?" Lavender searched him with her eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on.

"Listen," Hermione interrupted. Both Lavender and Ron whipped their heads to look at her at the sound of her voice. Hermione's tone was steady and she was using that matter of fact voice she brought out whenever she was trying to put her foot down. "Everyone is safe now and we can all go on just as we were...I realize I've sort of turned everybody's world upside down the last few days, but that was never my intention. And I don't have any expectations." She looked down as she said that last word. "Our choices are our own," Hermione finished. "Nobody's life has to change because of this."

Hermione nodded to herself, almost like she was trying to convince herself of what she had just said. Ron looked at her like she had sprouted a second head. All they had gone through and she was still trying to pull this. Nobody's life has to change? Didn't she realize it already had?

"But you said you love him," Lavender said, her bottom lip trembling. She turned accusingly to Ron. "Is this...do you love her too, Ron?"

A collective silence hung in the air at the question. Lavender was looking up at him imploringly and Ron looked back at her, wishing there was some way to spare her this. Lavender was an innocent bystander in all of it, once again swept into the storyline of his and Hermione's tumultuous relationship. Ron shut his eyes for just a moment before opening them up again.

"Let's talk somewhere in private, okay?"

Lavender let Ron lead her away from the curious onlookers and into the kitchen. The kitchen door swung shut behind them.

"That'll be a fun conversation," George said, breaking them all from staring at the now closed door. His words brought the group back to its senses and activity resumed in the living room. Angelina and Audrey began tending to Percy and Charlie, who had some nasty scorch marks on their arms from a wayward hex. Harry sat down on a sofa, rubbing his temples. Ginny sat next to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, relieved her fiancé had come out of yet another fight relatively unscathed. Molly walked over to the corner where Hermione still stood and motioned that she would take Rose, offering the young woman some help. Hermione started to protest, but Mrs. Weasley cut her off.

"You're going to need your arms free, dear."

Hermione stared at her, confusion written on her face. Mrs. Weasley just smiled back and took the child, her granddaughter, into her hands. Then, the door to the kitchen swung open and Ron walked back into the living room. Alone.

His gaze darted around the room, searching for something. When he landed on Hermione he gave her a determined look.

"Lavender's gone."

"Gone?"

Ron nodded at Hermione's question. Activity in the room paused once more as the family watched the scene before them, anxious to know what would happen next.

"She didn't need to leave, Ron," Hermione said quietly. This part was important, she needed him to understand this. "We've all received a glimpse of the future and that can be dangerous if you treat it like an edict. Your life is your own Ron."

Ron pushed two frustrated hands into his hair, running his palms over his scalp so that the hair became ruffled and messy. He shook his head as if to clear it and leaned forward a bit, resting his hands now on his thighs. His head hung down so Hermione couldn't see his face anymore, then he suddenly stood up tall once more.

"For someone so brilliant, you can be really thick sometimes."

Ron moved forward at that, walking with quick strides toward Hermione, crossing the room in five long steps. Hermione opened her mouth as if to speak, to throw out more attempts at reason or logic. Ron wasted no time to hear her protests, reaching out instead to grab Hermione roughly by the elbow and pulling her to him. Finally, after surviving so much danger and countless threats, outrunning obstacles and tempting fate, Ron was able to wrap his arms around Hermione at long last.

Hermione was overwhelmed in a sensory experience, feeling, smelling and touching so much of Ron at once after so much time spent going without him. At the first moment of the embrace, Hermione went stiff, an instinctive reaction from her body that had become trained to keep away from him. Almost as quickly, however, her body relaxed, melting into Ron's touch. It was like she had been drowning and was given that first gulp of air after breaking the surface of the water.

Hermione immediately threw her arms around Ron's neck in return. The gesture caused him to pull her even closer against him, as if he couldn't get close enough. Hermione vaguely heard somebody, Arthur maybe, say something about privacy and she sensed the others leave the room. Hermione pressed her face in the crook of Ron's neck, clutching at him like he might suddenly disappear. Ron held her head in place with one hand at the back of her scalp, rubbing the other hand up and down soothingly over her back.

Hermione realized then she was crying. Sobbing, really. All of the emotions that had hung over her for the last three years were being released at each caress of Ron's hands, reminding her how much she had nearly lost. She had been so lonely, the nights of depression and solitude tempered only with the knowledge she was protecting Ron. Now, he was here so close she could feel each breath he took and each flexing of his muscles. She wanted to cry out in gratitude.

"Th-that was a very stupid thing yo-you did," Hermione cried, pulling her head back to look at Ron. She spoke through her tears, sniffling and hiccoughing at the same time. "You we-weren't supposed to be there, it was m-my job....if you had died I would have never forgiven you Ron Weasley!"

She said the last part with a wail, as Ron used his thumbs to wipe away the fresh tears that fell. Hermione noticed his face was wet with tears as well.

"Had to," he said with a sniff. His fingers continued to run over her face, tracing her features...her brow, her jaw, her mouth. "I couldn't let you go Hermione."

Suddenly, it was too much for her. She felt all of the energy leave her body in one rush, her knees buckling and Ron keeping a hold of her. He slowly lowered them both to the floor, situating himself in a seated position and placing her in his lap. Her legs circled around him, her arms still around his neck, having never released him.

"I've been so scared, Ron," she said, her voice raw from the crying. "I th-thought I was going to l-lose you."

Ron nodded, his eyes wet and looking her over, his pupils darting across her face frantically. Memorizing her.

"You were wrong, you know," Ron said quietly. "My life isn't my own. Hasn't been for a long time. My life is yours."

Finally, the last bit of space left between then was too much. Ron held her face in both his hands and drew her to him, getting so close she could feel his nose and his eyelashes before she could feel his lips. Then, his mouth was on hers and she was lost in his kiss.

It started gentle, both of them tentative and out of practice with one another. Their lips brushed softly against one another, relearning each other. Each caress was like a new promise. Then, the passion that had always been there between them, be they rowing over prefect duties or fighting side by side in a battle against evil, took over with a frenzy. The intensity consumed them like a lit match and their kiss became more urgent, each pouring as much love, longing and promise as they could into one another.

Ron placed a row of kisses along her jaw line, sealing her to him and trying to taste as much of her at once as he could. Her fingers tangled in his hair now and he mirrored her actions, running his hands through her curly mane of hair as he had always fantasized of doing those long years at Hogwarts, when she had seemed so far out of his reach.

"I love you."

"I love you so much."

Neither spoke again for a long time, both lost in the embrace and reassuring one another that they were there, real and solid and not some imaginary phantom. After several long minutes they were pulled from their reverie by the sound of Harry's voice, who had stuck his head in from the kitchen door, checking in on them.

"Can we come back in yet?"

Without waiting for a response, the family re-entered. Ron helped Hermione up from the floor, smiling broadly at her. Molly walked up to Hermione, grinning herself, and handed Rose back to the young woman.

"Hermione," Ron said reverently. "Can I hold her?"

Hermione held Rose out to him in an instant, watching with amazement as he gently cradled their daughter in his arms. She watched him as he studied Rose's face, holding his fingers to her tiny hands. Rose grasped one finger and smiled prettily at him. Ron's face lit up immediately.

"Hermione, she's so...I've never seen...she's amazing."

"I know."

Arthur stepped forward then to look at the child and Ron wordlessly handed her over. The family members took turns holding her, each cooing and smiling at the new addition who was like a little miracle. Harry held her last, the little person who was real family, both a niece and a goddaughter.

"Hermione," Harry said suddenly, just thinking of something. "What happens now? Does she stay here with us?"

Hermione shook her head, confused. She had no idea. She'd never put a plan into action for this part, unable to see the light at the end of the very dark tunnel she had been in. Then, before she could open her mouth to form some plan, there was a knock at the front door. As Molly went to answer it, Hermione quickly took Rose back from Harry, feeling as if she were close to handing her over again. Ron stood strongly beside her with one arm around her waist- he, Hermione and Rose making a whole unit at last.

Molly walked back through the door, looking as if she had been confunded. She was followed by a figure, tall and muscular, wearing a long, dark coat. His ginger hair was shorter and he had the first signs of creases around his mouth, but he was still unmistakable. It was Ron Weasley, looking quite a bit older than he should have.

"Blimey," Ron whispered from beside Hermione. Hermione looked from the young man beside her to the older version standing still across the room. Her eyes grew large and her mouth flew open in surprise. Then she turned her full attention to this older Ron, speaking quickly.

"Are you insane?" she asked, stepping toward him briskly. "Honestly, have you lost all reason? Do you know what could happen with you coming here? Who could have ever put such a reckless idea into your head?"

Future Ron looked Hermione up and down appreciatively, obviously unconcerned with her lecture. He looked rather amused by it all.

"Actually, you did, love."

"I did?" Hermione asked, unconvinced. Future Ron simply nodded. "And why would I have suggested such an insane thing?"

"Well," he said, letting his gaze sweep around the room before returning his focus to Hermione. "We did discuss getting someone else, maybe even sending Dumbledore again. But in the end we figured you'd be a little hesitant to part with her, and you'd..."

"Only give her back to you," Hermione finished, comprehension flooding her. He nodded and smiled gently at her, taking Hermione in. He hadn't seen her look so young in quite some time.

"So what else in new?"

"Don't you ever go back in time again and get Dumbledore to come here and try to cart me off so you can stay behind to die alone!"

"Yes love," he said with a chuckle. "I will try very hard not to do that specific thing again."

Future Ron's eyes fell to Rose at that, looking over the child he hadn't seen in three long years. He'd had no idea whether or not he would ever see her again.

"How do we do this?" Hermione asked in a small voice. Future Ron smiled at her reassuringly, wanting to take her worries away.

"Mum," he said, looking up. "Do you have a blanket?"

Molly, still in a daze, nodded quickly. She brought him a small knit blanket from a basket and Ron motioned for Hermione to wrap the child up. He then reached out his arms to take the bundled Rose from Hermione. Hermione looked over her shoulder to where Ron, her Ron, was standing. He came up to put one hand at her back.

"It's okay," he whispered in her ear. "We can do this."

Hermione nodded and gave Rose one long, last kiss to the forehead, then handed Rose over to her rightful father. Wasting no time, Ron used his wand to place a spell over Rose, the magic seeping through and around the blanket to warm her all over. She fell quickly to sleep. Only then did this future Ron allow himself to truly look at his child, his eyes becoming wet as he held her close to his face.

"Hiya Rosie," he said softly.

Hermione let out her held breath, feeling a panicked sorrow at handing over the child she had raised for the past three years. But there was something else...hope, for what the future could be now.

"I'm going to miss her," she said quietly.

"Don't worry," future Ron said then, holding Rose dearly to him. "When she wakes up she'll have her mother there. She'll recognize you, Hermione. She won't be scared."

Hermione nodded, taking a shaky breath and wiping a tear off her cheek.

"I need to get her back now. There is a certain mother who is very anxious to see this little person."

Future Ron turned to go, heading back through the door he came from.

"Wait," Hermione said suddenly, as if remembering something. "How have you and Harry been doing this? Moving through time?"

Future Ron laughed and pulled a thin gold chain out from under his coat, revealing a delicate time turner.

"It's yours, from third year. McGonagall never returned it to the department of mysteries so it was never destroyed. She gave it to you as a present on our...well, you know." His voice trailed off. "She thought you might want it as a keepsake."

He tossed the object to her and she caught it with one hand. Studying it, she saw a small inscription around the rim. Ron looked over her shoulder to read the engraving aloud.

"Property of Hermione Weasley."

Hermione's face broke into a grin, the first genuine smile in what felt like ages. Stepping back to her, the older Ron gently took the time turner from her hands and leaned forward to press a chaste kiss to her temple.

"It's all going to be okay," he said, then turned quickly before he could reveal anything more. In an instant, he and Rose were gone. Hermione felt a wave of despair hit her as she watched her daughter disappear. Then, she felt Ron's steady grasp on her hand. She looked up at him and he moved to brush a lock of hair behind her ear. And she knew whatever the future held, she and Ron could face it together.

THE END

I have started work on my next story which will be inspired by Sleeping Beauty with Ron as the main character.

I am still planning it out so it might be a few weeks before I publish it.