Credits to KsushkiesCumberpatch for that amazing cover.

This is a sequel, so to understand certain things and elements, it is advised to read I Lost You Once, Never Again. It is not, however, essential.

Enjoy :)

Hermione

"Ron! What are you doing up there?" I yelled up the stairs.

"Er... Nothing?"

"It doesn't sound like nothing. It sounds like you're training a herd of elephants to do ballet!"

"Shit! Er, I'm not. It's..." I slowly - and silently - crept up the stairs. "It's nothing. Just um... Just doing a project for work."

"You are a terrible liar." I rolled my eyes, as I entered his room. "Wait, what?!" Ron was sitting there, shrinking elephants. Which were in leotards and tutus.

"I can explain!"

"Well get explaining then!" I replied shrilly.

"I was ... okay, I was training elephants to do ballet. I thought it'd be a... nice surprise?"

"A nice- a- where did you even get them from?"

"'Mione, calm down. I didn't like illegally import them."

"Really? Because I'm sorry, but given the situation, I really wouldn't be surprised."

"I got them off Harry."

"And where did Harry get them from?"

"Dean. Who got them from Seamus. Who got them from his mother... I didn't think to ask where she got them from."

"Ron!"

He smiled sheepishly.
"Would it help my case if I said they can do pirouettes?"

"Not in the sligh- PANCAKES."

I say bolt upright in my bed. Ron was sitting, holding a plate of pancakes out to me, looking amused.

"Well thank Merlin that was a dream."

"Huh?"

"You were telling me off for something, and I thought it was beacause of the pancakes." Ron said.

"But you were- you were training..."

"I was training? Why would I train? What would I train for?"

"You were training elephants to do ballet." My words confused me, but amused him.

"Why would I train elephants to do ballet?"

"I don't know, you're the one who was doing it."

"In your dream."

"But it was still you. Anyway, thanks for these pancakes. They smell great."

"Good. Mum showed me how to make them a while back, so you better like them. Cooking with her is a nightmare - pick up the wrong thing and-" he mimed having his head cut off. "-you'll join the Headless Hunt."

I bit into one, and looked from it, to Ron, and back again.

"Are they okay?"

"Is that even a question? Have you tried one?" He shook his head.

"No. I wanted to save them for you."

"These are the best Goddamn pancakes I've ever tasted. Better than Angelina's, and damn that girl can cook."

"Well er, I'm glad you like them. Oh, and there's a letter for you downstairs." He shrugged. "Enjoy." With a peck on the forehead, he left.

Since the break up a couple of months ago, he's been making sure not to do anything wrong in the slightest. It's adorable, and I've heard him claim that he wants to go everything right this time.

After finishing the breakfast, I did the usual - shower, get dressed, use the bathroom e.c.t. Then, I went downstairs. Ron had left a note saying that he was called out for something urgent. It was weird, because he usually left some more indication and information as to what it was for.

I read the letter which was in a handwriting I didn't recognise. It told me to go to King's Cross - Platform 9¾ - on August 31st, at 11 o'clock. It was strange to say the least. I decided I'd discuss it with Ron later.

Wait, it was August 31st today. And currently 10:57. I made a split-second desicion of rushing upstairs, grabbing my wand and beaded bag, and then apperating to the platform.

I was shocked to find people buzzing about; the Hogwarts Express was supposed to leave tomorrow, not today. And the 'students' looked way too old.

A post it note was stuck on one of the walls, and - although it was none of my business - I was curious, and went over to it. It seemed that all those adventures with Harry and Ron make you nosey.

The second thing that startled me was what was written on it:

Hermione,
I'm glad you're here.
Go onto the train.

No signature. I decided that there was no harm in it; I was armed. Once aboard, I went searching through the compartments. The thing was that it seemed to be people up to seven years older than me, but no younger than anyone in my year.

I decided to ask someone what was going on. It turned out to be Oliver Wood.
"Er, sorry, do I know you? I'm afraid this compartment is full." Even though there were spaces, he closed the door on me.

What was going on?

I decided to continue my search until I came across Neville. He was peering under seats, in the manner he had when we first met.

"Er, have you seen a toad? I can't find it. My Gran's gonna kill me."

"Trevor? But, he's - Neville, you've got an owl now."

"Oh, sorry. I'm Neville Longbottom. Who're you?"

"Hermione. It's me. Hermione Granger."

"Er, well hi Hermione. Could you... Would you be able to, to help me find him?"

"Okay..." This was getting weirder and weirder. Maybe that elephants in tutus thing was part of a dream inside a dream.

I went along more compartments until I found Ron and Harry in the one I recognised that they had been in first year.

Hang on.

Everyone was acting as though it were first year.

The pair were sat, surrounded with sweet wrappers, and Ron was pointing his brother's (broken) wand at a rat.

I entered.
"Ron? Harry? What are you doing?!" No reply. "Hello? Okay, I'll try this again." I muttered the last bit to myself.

I re-entered, and used the same words I had when I met them.

"Have any of you seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one."

"No, sorry. We've already told him."

"Oh, okay. Oh, you're doing magic? Let's see then." I saw Ron smile a bit to himself.

"Sunshine dasied, butter mellow. Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow!" As before, the pack of Bertie Botts flew off the rat.

Different to last time, however, it landed in my hands.
"Are you sure that's even a real spell? Well it's not a very good one, is it? Of course I've only had a go at the simpler ones in our textbooks, but they've all worked for me. I'm Hermione Granger by the way. And you are?"

"Harry. Harry Potter."

Ron knelt down on one knee. He took the box from me, and protruded a ring from within. I gasped.
"I'm proposing."

"Okay. I erm... Well, this isn't exactly an engagement ring. It's a promise ring. So that you know that I love you and always will. And when the time is right, when I've proven that I am worth it, I'll fulfill that promise. I'll replace it with an even better one. So Hermione Jean Granger... Will you marry me, in the future?"

I couldn't help the grin that had planted itself onto my face.
"Yes Ron, you bumbling idiot! Yes, yes, yes!"

"Well thank Merlin for that."

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Shut up." Me and Ron chorused.

"It turned awkward. Very quickly." Seeing our faces, he blushed and exited, leaving us alone.

Ron slipped the ring on, and grinned widely. He stood up, and we both leant forward. Or lips met and sparks flew.

This was it. There were going to be no more mess ups, on either of our behalfs. We won't have the pressure of a date looming upon us, because this is an engagement ring, proposing for the engagement.

We had our differences, but that's what made us work. I balanced Ron's compulsive, think-after attitude, and he balanced my nature to firmly stick yo rules; he claims that "rules are only thought up so that they can be broken. Look at Hogwarts - we probably broke every rule there ever was, ever will be, and got away Scott free".

And there'll be the occasional (or frequent (or daily)) fight/argument, but that just shows that we'll always return, and - in some ways - will make us stronger.

The day passed with a trip to the cinema - where we saw Toy Story - relaxing at home, getting jobs done, and enjoying each other's company.

So, later that evening, when we were dining together with our glasses of bubbly, I held mine up.
"To us." I toasted. "To infinity... and beyond."

"To infinity and beyond." Ron agreed, smiling his cute little smile. There was the clinking sound of our glasses contacting each other, and our infinity began.

Let's hope that it's one of the bigger infinites out there.

So... This is the sequel to I Lost You Once, Never Again (or ILYONA for short).

Also, me and KsushkiesCumberpatch have realised something. Something incredibly strange, and kinda disturbing. But it makes sense:

Paintings can interact with the things in pictures (there is a painting, where the people inside it play cards with one another, and the Fat Lady got drunk with her friend Violet by drinking the wine in one of the other paintings).

So that means they can most likely kiss and - in the wise words of KsushkiesCumberpatch - "the ddddddddd".

That's why students aren't allowed in the corridors after curfew.

We're geniuses.

Credit to her for that amazing cover.

Anyway, got to go, I am supposed to be tidying up rn :/

Next chapter should be up soon!

I love you all!
-Alice xoxox

P.S. Yeah, I said no updates 'cause of SATs, but this is more fun than revising for tests that will decide what set I'll be in next year, and which papers I'll be doing for GCSEs. Ew. School and exams.