Tell Me//HERMIONE

[ronald bilius weasley]

Ron had skivved off closing the shop for once with every intent of visiting Hermione at her own job. Between his two jobs, Ron was a very busy man, and he hadn't seen his girlfriend in over a week, maybe more if he cared to actually think back that far. For most relationships, this would seem incredibly negligent on his part, but Ron knew Hermione couldn't very well blame him for it. His auror training wasn't exactly full time, so he also helped George run the shop when he could- usually resulting in only an hour between the two jobs to get something to eat, and even then he was so tired that he scarfed it down just so he could have fifteen minutes to nap.

Ron still felt sort of guilty about his absence in Hermione's life, and though it wasn't as good as taking her out for night, he figured keeping her company at work would be better than nothing- at least, he could make an effort to make time pass more quickly for her while she waited on people.

As he entered the Leaky Cauldron, he looked around, taking in the usual crowd of drinkers of the questionable sort- wizards, of course, a few witches, something in the corner he wasn't really sure about, and amid all the others Hermione herself. Ron actually smiled, and seeing she was busy with an order, he went and sat at the bar, pulling out a galleon.

"Firewhiskey, please." He told her when she headed in his direction.

[hermione]

Hermione felt like her day was frazzled, she had woken up late despite her nightmares, and had to rush to work that morning. She had worked all day with some rather annoying customers and so far the best time of the day had been her lunch break where she had to run to eat. Well, Hermione smiled as she noticed Ron enter, at least something good was happening. She supposed that if she had to go through days like this everyday to see Ron, she might do it.

Hermione finished filling in an order and quickly gave it to the cook before rushing over to her newest 'customer'. She smiled at him and went behind the bar to fill in the order herself. She filled the mug quickly and set it in front of him. "Order up." She said, then went over to take the previous order to it's buyer. She set it down in front of him and since no one would need her for a while, she went over to say hi to her boy friend.

"Hey." She said, looking over everyone one last time before leaning against the bar and smiled at him again. "Missed you." She said softly, doing her best not to break any of the little rules that she had to obey while at work. She had about a half hour on her shift and then she was off to her apartment she could barely pay for even now. She had taken her share of her parents money and even sold things to keep her place, but now she supposed that the job could stabilize her. Of course, she hadn't told anyone of her selling her things. They would have been appalled and would try and offer money they couldn't give to try and help her out. "How have you been?"

[ronald bilius weasley]

"Thanks." Ron said, setting the galleon down on the counter. He didn't plan on drinking more than a glass, and he didn't have much money in his pocket for dinner, so he would leave the rest when he left for Hermione's tip.

He blushed, the tips of his ears turning red, when Hermione said she had missed him. No matter how long they dated, Ron still wasn't used to such deference from a female that wasn't his mother. It had always seemed strange to him to have earned Hermione's affections like them, and while part of him was very, very pleased, he was also a little nervous about screwing it up. "I missed you too." He said honestly, looking up and meeting her eyes before taking a drink of his firewhiskey.

Ron was very aware that he wasn't supposed to distract Hermione at work, so as much as he wanted to, he didn't pull her close to kiss her but rather gave her arm an affectionate pat. "Working, but you knew that." He said, going for flippant, but instead just sounding weary and tired. "I thought I could come say hullo for a little bit. What about you?"

Since Harry's death, Ron had matured, that was for certain. He tried harder to pay attention to those around him, particularly those close to him, and he was able to see something was on Hermione's mind.

[hermione]

Hermione took the galleon and went to put it in the cashier, and Ron had been blushing so she decided to give him a bit of privacy while he did. She had also had to hide her grin, and this gave her ample opportunity to do just that. He nearly matched his hair when he did that, and she wouldn't admit it but he looks adorable, so innocent. He met her eyes when he came back, and she knew it was stupid but her heart skipped a beat when he said he missed her too. She knew it was her insecurities coming out, but she had wondered if he had missed her.

"I did." Hermione said, laughing softly in dry humor. She knew it, didn't make any difference. She knew his schedule, he worked hard. She would have tried to come see him on some of his breaks, but she knew he needed food and rest so it wouldn't be much of a visit. Considering his voice, he needed every bit of sleep. "How long can you stay?" Hermione asked, wincing that this would only be a short visit. "I get off in a half an hour, I thought we could just talk for a little bit. Not about anything important, but just like we used to. Before..." Before Harry had died, when they were still at Hogwarts. Hermione felt the threat of tears in her eyes and pushed it down. She couldn't stand it, not now. She was working.

Hermione looked over everyone again, and her co worker even seemed bored. She could spare a few more moments. She looked around for her boss, and with him not around she sat down next to him. "My feet are killing me." She explained her feet seeming to sigh in relief now that she was off them .

[ronald bilius weasley]

Ron shrugged vaguely. He should have been in bed an hour ago, if he wanted to feel well rested, but that was something that was certainly in the past. However, he could tell Hermione was reluctant to let him go (though she would never say so, his Mione,) and Ron didn't really want to leave, even though he was tired. He really had missed Hermione, and he was irritated his jobs kept him away from her so much.

He raised his head from contemplating his glass when her voice hitched, her words getting dangerously close to talking about Harry. As a rule, they usually didn't- it hurt both of them too much to think about the one presence that should be there, with them, but wasn't. Ron was better at hiding it than Hermione was, but his eyes were dark as he raised a hand up, placing a finger against her lips to shush her. When she met his gaze, his own eyes were dark and stormy. "Stop." He said quietly. "Just.. stop."

He let his finger linger for a moment before he let it fall, and he continued to stare at her. She was so beautiful, and they had been through so much together, that Ron could see everything she wasn't saying written on her face. He didn't care if her boss saw as he scooted his stool closer to hers and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. He kissed her head, resting his cheek against her hair. "I miss him, Mione." He said very quietly, so quiet that it was hard to tell if he had thought it or actually said it out loud.

[hermione]

Ron just shrugged and Hermione guessed it was a no. She knew that he needed sleep, but even if it was just falling asleep together she'd be happy. She didn't expect his finger to come against her lips, and she kissed it while it was there. She looked up at his eyes, his beautiful blue eyes. She didn't say a thing, and wished that things were different. That they wouldn't have to work so hard just to live, they could live happily without fear of Voldemort. "Ron." She finally said softly, and it seemed at just that moment he moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She leaned against him and wrapped her arms around him. "I miss him too." She whispered, just as softly as he had. "I miss him so much." She held him tightly, feeling the tears burning her eyes and one fell down her cheek. She hide her face in his shirt, and her arms were shaking now. "It shouldn't be like this." She told him.

[ronald bilius weasley]

"No, it shouldn't." Ron sighed, closing his eyes against the stinging sensation. Ron didn't like crying in general, doing it in public was definitely not something he was going to allow himself to do. Better to distract them both, before Harry's absence began to weigh even more on them.

Even worse than crying in public, Ron hated seeing Hermione cry. It made a knot of uneasiness grow in his stomach, and he swallowed, rubbing her back gently. "Shh, Mione. It'll be all right." Ron knew that was a lie, nothing he said would bring their friend back, but no other words sprang to his lips.

"I'm going to walk you home tonight." He told her after a moment, hoping that would distract her. Ron didn't often get the chance to walk her home, and he thought a nice walk would clear both of their heads.

[hermione]

Hearing Ron agree with her made her hug him tighter. She bit her lower lip and tried to tell herself not to try. She could cry when she got back home, when she was alone. She wanted to just stand there for a while though, she didn't feel quite as alone. With him always working, Ginny at Hogwarts, and all the order members busy she had a very sad social life. Of course, with out Harry it would have been her life at Hogwarts. She might not have fallen for Ron if Harry had never been there.

She felt him rub her back and Hermione felt her body relax against him. "No it won't, but that's ok. We'll make it through no matter what." Hermione corrected, but she appreciated the effort he did to make her feel better. She had accepted that fact a while ago, but one couldn't help but wish.

"You will?" Hermione asked, a soft smile curling the tips of her mouth. "Hermione!" Her co worker whispered harshly at her. "The boss might come out at any minute." Hermione straightened and smiled sadly at him. "I'm sorry." Hermione looked back and gave Ron a quick peck on the lips before going and taking some empty dishes and change due for the meal. She put the dishes in the sink and let them magically clean and put themselves away and went over to where Ron was again. Yet, this time she was behind the bar rather than sitting right next to him.

[ronald bilius weasley]

While Hermione's mind was going to what might not have been, Ron's was once again finding itself wandering to the future. He didn't like watching Hermione work like this, but there was nothing he could do at that particular time about it. Ron hadn't been born into an inheritance, after all, and the only money he had would go to his part of the living expenses at the shop. It would be a few more years before he could quit working at the shop and become a full time auror, and in the meantime, money would be too tight to get another flat and support the both of them. For now, Ron would just have to sit and watch her return, day by day, to this low grade job, all because she was muggleborn. His Hermione deserved so much better, could do so much better, but all because of blood, she couldn't.

If that, coupled with the loss of his best friend, wasn't a reason to drink, Ron didn't know what was. He nodded when she pulled away to answer her coworker's comment, and he watched her return behind the bar, taking a drink of his firewhiskey. He rolled the burning liquid in his mouth before swallowing, waiting until Hermione came back over to him to fully answer the question. "Yeah, I will. You have better food in your kitchen than we do." He joked, offering her a small smile.

[hermione]

Hermione laughed softly and smiled back. "I'll cook you up something then. I'm not a fantastic cook, but it's better than just eating from the box." She leaned against the bar, and looked over the people there. None seemed to immediately need her at the moment, well one needed a refill. Pulling out her wand, she charmed the pitcher to float over there and have it refill the mug itself. She had always loved magic, and right now she was going to use it to the best of her ability. "You can even stay the night if you want. I have a couch that you could sleep on if you want, or I could sleep on the couch and you could sleep on my bed. You work more than I do, and have to run between those two jobs just to keep going. You'd deserve it."

[ronald bilius weasley]

Ron gave her a look over the edge of his glass- while nobody could probably ever top his mother in the cooking department, Ron was neither picky about what he ate, or a good chef himself, so he was sure that Hermione's denial of efficient food handling was simply her competitive nature showing through. "It's fine." He told her seriously, draining the last of his glass. The alcohol made him feel lulled and relaxed, just as he had intended, and he tapped his fingers lazily on the bar as he watched her.

"That would be great." Ron admitted. It wouldn't be the first time that Ron had stayed at Hermione's apartment and slept on her couch, though it had been a while. Those first few months without Harry had been rough on everyone, and neither had been particularly keen to be left alone with their thoughts. "Beats going back to the shop in the rain." He nodded outside- though it was too dark to tell, the sky had been threatening to pour for hours.

When she offered him the bed, however, he shook his head. Ron had his moments he could be a daft git, but even he knew that kicking his girlfriend out of her own bed probably wasn't that good of idea. "I'll take the couch."

[hermione]

Hermione smiled at him, and felt her heart beet much faster now that she would get to spend more time with him. Yet, when Ron said something about he ran and Hermione looked outside. "I'm surprised it hasn't rained yet, that much water in the clouds and it hasn't fallen all day. When it does rain, it'll pour." Hermione said, having read a few muggle books in her free time. They had been interesting, and if she could, she'd have to proof that muggles weren't nearly as stupid as wizards thought they were. Ron's father had understood that, but so many had scoffed at him.

"You sure?" Hermione asked, tacking a rag and beginning to clean the bar. She looked at the clock quickly, counting the minutes till she wouldn't have to be in this silly uniform anymore even more than before. "I really don't mind." Really, there was no point to this conversation. Even if he fell asleep on the couch, Hermione would move him to the bed anyway. Not with any physical labor, that would be a joke. Ron had muscles and was several inches taller than her. While Hermione had cut down on a lot of her magic use, she'd use it now. People could often track you by your magic, as seen with the underage laws.

[ronald bilius weasley]

Ron tilted his head slightly at her smile, the light from the bar catching in his copper hair as he studied her. He smiled as well, a soft, somewhat self conscious smile. "What?" He asked, wondering what he had done to earn a look like that. She was pretty when she smiled, and whatever it was he had done, well, he'd be sure to do it more often.

He shrugged at her comment, it was true enough. Being a wizard, he could always just use a spell to dry himself off or to repel the rain, but it was too much work and too dangerous to bring attention to himself close to Hermione- Voldemort had all but banned the muggle borns from using magic, and then had pushed them to the brink of society. Ron worried constantly about Hermione- he would rather be soaked to the bone than bring harm to her.

"I'll sleep on your floor, if it comes to it." Ron rested his chin on his hand, his expression thoughtful. "Might not be that comfortable, though."

[hermione]

"Nothing." Hermione said, blushing a little and scrubbing hard on a stain that was on the counter. "I'm just glad I get to spend more time with you is all." Hermione said, now trying to avoid looking at him. Hermione felt very vulnerable, she wasn't used to Ron picking up on the little things like that. In fact, she had expected him to take another drink of his fire whiskey and not think anything else of it. This living had certainly matured him, but in a part of her mind she hoped it didn't change him too much. She liked who he was, even if it was sometimes ignorant of things.

"You will not be sleeping on the floor." Hermione told him, finally looking up at him. "If you don't like my couch, I'm sure my bed is big enough for the both of us." Hermione washed her rag up and finished cleaning the bar to get any remaining dirt off the surface. "How is work, by the way? Your training, is it going well?"

[ronald bilius weasley]

Ron smirked when Hermione started blushing- that certainly wasn't a common thing to see, but he let it go.He tired very hard to pay more attention to those around him now that Harry was gone, particularly Hermione and his family. He knew now what it felt like to lose someone, well two people, actually, very close to him, and those that were left, well, Ron didn't want to cause them more pain than necessary. He was making an effort, that had to count for something.

He moved his now empty glass and set it down in front of her, figuring she might want to add it to the dishes now rather than later, so it would be one less thing she had to do after close. His eyebrows shot up and his face turned crimson again when she mentioned sharing the bed. "Really, Mione?" He said, coughing and looking away. In some ways, Ron still was an awkward teenage boy, and while the idea certainly had crossed his thoughts many times, he had never took it up.

Perhaps sensing his discomfort, or perhaps just by chance, Hermione changed the subject and he jumped for it like a life raft. "It's all right. The bloke I'm training under is interesting enough, but kind of rigid. I think Percy would like him." Ron wasn't lazy, but there were some things he would never understand- like why he had to learn other methods of taking down bad wizards, when he could just hex them and be done with it.

"How's... waitressing?"