The Time In Between

Chapter 4: The Arrival

Ron sat on the sofa, his hands running through his hair. They were safe, his family was safe. He could feel his whole body shaking with relief as the last wisps of his father's Patronus disappeared. He was aware of Hermione sitting next to him, hugging him, her body trembling as well. Ron couldn't believe how drastically things had changed in the past two hours. He stole a glance at Hermione, no longer in her silky dress but her hair still up in a bun. She had a small cut on her cheek, probably from a piece of flying glass at the coffee shop. He shuddered to himself thinking about the danger they had just been in. He had just barely pushed her out of the way of that Death Eaters spell. Now here they were at Grimmauld Place, safe for the moment.

The escape from the Burrow seemed surreal. Ron had been making his way back to the table, butter beers in hand, when Kingsley's Patronus had landed. Just as quick as it came, it disappeared and total mayhem ensued. Wedding guests were disapparating and Death Eaters were appearing, shooting curses and hexes throughout the remaining crowd. Ron had been desperate to find Hermione and Harry. They had just been in his line of view and then they were gone. And then, with heart wrenching awareness, he could hear Hermione screaming his name. People were everywhere, running, shouting for their loved ones. Ron didn't see anyone he knew, not his parents, or siblings. Everything was like a blur and then suddenly there was Hermione and Harry. She grabbed his hand and they were gone.

Ron felt as tightly wound as one of his mum's balls of yarn. He could still feel the adrenaline pumping through his body. The crowded streets of London, the duel in the coffee shop. He felt like it would be days before he would be able to process what had happened. But Ron knew he didn't have days. He knew that the days ahead would be spent in planning out their next move. Planning how to stay alive.

Hermione had just said something about spending the night in the drawing room. He agreed with her. He had never liked being at Grimmauld Place, even when the Order was here, arguing loudly about their course of action against Voldemort. Being surrounded by the heirlooms of the Black family, their matriarch screaming from her portrait was a constant reminder to Ron about what they were up against.

Harry muttered something about using the bathroom, leaving the room rather quickly. Ron looked over to Hermione who was arranging sleeping bags on the floor and pulling clothes out of her beaded bag. "Here are your pajamas Ron," she said as she crossed the room, holding out a well-worn t-shirt and a pair of plaid bottoms. They were about to spend their first night together. Somehow it wasn't quite how Ron had pictured it.

How could he be thinking of something like that after what they had just been through? Maybe there was a correlation between near-death experiences and physical reactions. Ron knew he wanted nothing more than to grab Hermione and hold her in his arms. So, he did.

Hermione gasped as Ron pulled her to him, crushing her in his arms. Her face was flush against his neck and she could still smell the cologne he had worn for the wedding, woodsy and musky both at the same time. His pajamas were the only barrier between them. Hermione pulled her arms free to wrap them around him, trying to put as much feeling into the hug as she possibly could. She was terrified by what had just occurred although she would never admit it to either Ron or Harry. She felt she had to be strong for them. She didn't want them having any ridiculous chivalrous notions of protecting her. Hermione knew what she had gotten involved with in joining Harry on the quest for the horcruxes.

Ron's heart almost burst as he felt her arms come around him, responding to his embrace. His chin rested on her head and he inhaled the lovely scent of her hair. "Are you alright", he asked, pulling away slightly so he could see her face.