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whenihaveyouromione · 3 years

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When I Have You - Chapter 39

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Chapter 39

Ron landed with Hermione in her parents’ garden, hidden by the large hedges that fronted their house. Hermione was gripping his arm tightly and didn’t let go once they had Apparated. Ron had to pry her off.

“Are you worried they won’t approve?” Ron asked, teasing as he gave her hand a squeeze.

“Of course not,” Hermione said, though he could tell her mind was a little distracted. “Still, it’s nerve-wracking trying to find a way to tell them.”

“They’ll be fine,” Ron assured her calmly. “They like me well enough, don’t they?”

“They love you,” Hermione said. “It’s still a little scary.”

“They were fine after you told them about their memories, so they’ll be fine with this.” Ron kissed her forehead as the front door opened.

“Is there a reason the two of you are standing out the front?” It was Robert, and he was watching them both with that look he often wore — the look that said he was confused, yet amused at the same time.

Hermione flushed and pulled away from Ron, turning to head into the house.

“You know,” Robert said as they entered. He closed the door after them and followed them into the living room, “if you wanted some time alone, you could have come five minutes later rather than standing in our front garden. Honestly, we wouldn’t have minded if you were a little late.”

“We were just talking,” Hermione said, giving her mother a hug. Ron noticed that she quickly pulled away, tucking her left hand in her pocket.

“It’s good to see you both,” Jane said, now hugging Ron. She barely seemed to notice Hermione’s odd behaviour.

“You too, Mum.” Hermione smiled.

“Do either of you care for a drink?”

“Just some water. Thanks, Mum.” Hermione sat down on the two seater sofa in her parents’ living room, Ron beside her.

“Ron?” Jane asked.

“I guess the same, thanks,” Ron said. The Grangers were keen on their wine for lunches and dinners, but they and Ron seemed to share different tastes and opinions about what was good. He was safest with water here.

Jane went into the kitchen to get their drinks, while Robert flicked through the TV channels until he found one that was suitable for background noise. He joined Ron and Hermione by sitting in his favourite armchair.

Ron glanced at the television with curiosity. Robert had settled on something Hermione had referred to as a sitcom in the past. Whatever that meant.

“How’s your week been?” he asked, looking at them. “Work treating you well?”

“It’s fine,” Hermione said, resting her back against the sofa. “Busy, of course, but fine.”

Ron looked at her questioningly, for he’d given them the perfect opportunity to announce their engagement, but she gave a small shake of her head that went unnoticed by her father. He also noticed her hand seemingly tucked nonchalantly between her legs.

“Ron’s been preparing for his final tests, so he’s been locked away in the study a little. There’s a lot of theory involved, along with all the aptitude tests he has to do as well. It’s going to be a busy next few weeks.” She smiled brightly. “But, it will all be worth it in the end. He’ll be fully qualified soon.”

“Wonderful!” Robert said with a genuine smile. It always amazed Ron just how pleasant her parents were toward him. How involved they were in Hermione’s (and now his) life, and how much they seemed to want to know about what was going on in a world they couldn’t be a part of. “I know how hard you’ve been working for it, Ron. Three years is a long time to persevere with training, regardless of what job it is.”

“Would be similar to university, I think,” Hermione said. “University can be longer, even.”

“What’s university?” Ron asked curiously. She’d never mentioned that before.

“It’s... like another school,” Hermione began. “For adults. People our age. It’s what you study to get a job in the Muggle world. Like dentists.” Hermione indicated her dad. “You need to go to university for that.”

“So what’s the point in going to school all those other years, then?” Ron wanted to know. “You said you started at six or something, but all of that is worthless?”

“I wouldn’t say it’s worthless, Ron,” Robert said. “Just… different.”

Ron wasn’t sure he agreed, but said no more on the matter. He didn’t want to offend her parents, of all days.

“How about you, Hermione?” Robert continued after a brief silence when Jane returned with two tall glasses of ice-cold water. “You still enjoying what you do?”

“Yes,” Hermione said. “It’s great.”

“You said you’re starting Saturdays soon?”

“Unfortunately. It’s not forever, though. We just need to get a law written. My hours should go back to normal after about a month. Which…” she looked to Ron, “will be when his hours will change. Training is pretty standard, but Auror work is shift work. Not sure how often we’ll see each other to begin with.”

“You’ll work around it, I’m sure,” Robert said. “Maybe you’ll both end up with a Wednesday off together instead of a Sunday.”

Hermione looked at Ron and smiled. He smiled back and took a sip of the water Jane had just handed him.

“And what about you?” Hermione asked her parents. “How’s your week been?”

“Same as every other week, Hermione,” Jane said. “Nothing new. Life is pretty dull in London these days. Especially since we closed the practice.”

“I thought you were enjoying your retirement,” Hermione said. “You two should definitely take a holiday somewhere. See the world. You’d have the best time, I think.”

Both Robert and Jane laughed.

“Oh, we’ve thought about it, I assure you,” Jane said. “We’ve discussed it, and we’re thinking maybe next summer we might hire a caravan and travel through Europe. It’s still in the works, though. It would be for the whole three months of summer.”

“Croatia was nice,” Ron said. “When we were there last year. It’ll probably be even nicer in summer.”

“Oh, yes, we’ve been there,” Jane said. “Absolutely stunning. Greece, too. We’re going to put Lithuania and Estonia at the top of our lists. Would love to go there. And maybe even travel up north to Scotland, across to Wales… Ireland as well.”

“Oh, that reminds me!” Hermione set her own glass of water on the side table next to her. “Harry and Ginny have decided they’re going to move across to Wales. At least while Ginny is with her team. It’s easier for them to manage it that way, and Harry hates where he lives at the moment, so it was an easy decision for them.”

"And they're enjoying their engagement?" Jane asked. “It’s all so exciting when it’s new, and then comes all the planning.”

"Oh, yes," Hermione said. Again, Ron watched as she refused to move her own hand where she wore the engagement ring. Her desire to hide it was beginning to make him a little uncomfortable. She wasn’t embarrassed, was she? "They're so happy. I don't think I've seen Harry so happy since… since he won his first Quidditch match.”

"He's grinning like an idiot," Ron added. "Almost making training unbearable with his happiness. And they’re not really the type to get stressed over the planning side, I don’t think. Given their — um — popularity in our world, they’ll want to keep things pretty quiet and private."

"I'm so happy for him!" Jane said. "If anyone deserves to have something so mundane and normal happen to them, I would think it's Harry. The poor man, and I probably wouldn't even know the half of it."

"You wouldn't want to, Mum," Hermione said. “I don’t think Harry has even told us what’s going through his head half the time.”

"You two want another drink?" Robert then asked, noticing the two had already finished their water.

"Thanks, Dad," Hermione said, holding out her glass for him to take. "Maybe some wine this time."

Robert accepted the glass from his daughter, and then paused. Hermione tried to wrench her hand back — she'd forgotten momentarily to hide her left one.

Robert caught her hand in his and then looked at Hermione with a slight smirk. "Seems like you two had a more eventful week than you shared with us," he said.

Hermione flushed and returned her hand to her lap.

"We were going to tell you," she said. "Over lunch. It was going to be a surprise."

"Tell us what?" Jane, whose view had been blocked during the short exchange, came over to stand beside her husband.

Robert looked down at Hermione with a smile on his lips. Hermione stood up, Ron also doing the same.

"Well…" Hermione looked at her mother. "Ron and I are… also getting married."

"What?" Jane said. "Since when?" She looked between them, her mouth slightly open.

"Since Friday," Hermione said. "Two days ago. Ron asked me."

There was a short pause in the Granger's living room, and then Jane wrapped her arms around her daughter in a warm hug.

"That's such wonderful news!" She turned to Ron and hugged him as well. "I’m so happy for the both of you.”

Hermione beamed at her parents. "Thanks!" she said. "It was all really sweet, was really unexpected…" She clutched Ron's arm excitedly. "We really wanted you to be the first to know."

Robert came forward to hug Hermione and shake Ron’s hand.

“Congratulations,” he said.

“This just makes lunch so much more special,” Jane continued. “We’ll break out the best champagne we have.”

“Mum, you don’t have to —”

“This will be the only time we get to celebrate an engagement for our daughter,” Jane said. “There’s no better time.”

Hermione smiled, looking up at Ron. He placed an arm across her shoulders.

“But before we do that, while you’re here, come upstairs with me. I’ll give you a few things that might help you start planning.”

“Mum, it’s a bit early —”

“It’s nothing wedding-y,” Jane assured her. “Just some planners I was given a while back that you might find useful. There’s a bit, though. Might need a bit of your… magic to help transport them.”

Ron dropped his arm from around Hermione. “Have fun,” he said, kissing her temple.

Hermione followed her mum into the hall, their voices trailing up the stairs.

That left Ron alone with Robert, which in this moment, unnerved him. His relationship with Hermione’s father over the years had been… interesting. While the man seemed to like Ron well enough, his sense of humour didn’t always gel with Ron’s, often leaving Ron wondering if he was being serious or joking.

It had never occurred to Ron before just how Robert would react to finding out his only daughter was getting married, and learning about it in such a surprising way. If Ron was in his position, if Ron had a daughter, he’d probably be a bit… well, he didn’t actually know how he’d feel. It was hard to imagine him being in Robert Granger’s position one day.

He looked uncomfortably over at her dad. The man smiled. But was it just Ron, or did his smile not quite meet his eyes? No, that was how he usually smiled.

Though, the impulse in Ron to prove himself as a good match for the Grangers’ only child had him stupidly saying, “I really do love her.”

“I’ve never had any doubt about that, Ron,” Robert said. “And if you said that because you feel I’m suddenly going to turn against you because you asked my daughter to marry you, you can relax.”

Ron shifted where he stood. He wondered if he could sit down, but decided against it. “Right.”

“I’ve been there before,” Robert continued. “Proposing. Anyway, it’s not my opinion that matters, even if I didn’t approve — which is not the case. Hermione’s an adult, she’s more than capable of making her own decisions, and I like to think she makes rather smart ones. She always has, so I can’t see why this would be any different. She knows what she’s doing.” He smiled wryly.

At this, Ron smiled. He relaxed slightly.

“I’m happy for you, I really am,” Robert continued. I’ve not seen her happier since she’s been with you. You make her happy, and after what you’ve all been through, I think some happiness is well-earned.” He smiled at Ron in a very fatherly way. “The pair of you have a very strong relationship — that is obvious. You make each other happy, you love each other deeply. And I think that’s wonderful.” He held out a hand, offering it to Ron. “Welcome to the family, Ron. Officially.”

Ron accepted Robert’s hand and smiled. “Thanks,” he said.

“You know,” Robert then said, his hand dropping to his side, “Jane and I do like our wine, but I think this might call for something… different.” He looked at Ron with a wry smile. “How do you feel about beer, Ron?”

“I’ve not had it before,” Ron said. “Unless you mean Butterbeer.”

“Is that one of your weird drinks?”

“Yes,” Ron said. “It’s not very potent, though.”

“Well, I don’t know if it’s in any way similar, but —” He indicated for Ron to follow him into the kitchen and combined dining area.

Ron obliged, not wanting to disappoint.

Robert went to the refrigerator and took out two identical bottles. He passed one to Ron. Ron watched him twist the lid and open it, and instantly felt very stupid when he couldn’t do the same. He flushed as Robert had to do it for him.

“I suppose if you’re not used to this, it might be tricky,” Robert said drily.

Ron turned an even deeper red, certain he was making a horrible impression and that Hermione’s dad was reconsidering his congratulations. “Actually, it’s just… we use… magic.”

“Ah,” Robert said. “Well, don’t let me stop you.”

Once opened, Ron brought the bottle to his lips and tasted the drink. He almost gagged at the bitter flavour, but managed to keep a straight face.

Robert chuckled. “I can see it’s not really your thing.”

“It’s just different,” Ron said, taking another sip. It was slightly better this time.

There was silence for a moment. Then Robert spoke. “You strike me as the romantic type, Ron. How did you ask Hermione to marry you?”

Ron drank from the bottle again before answering. “Er, well… not as I had planned it. I was going to take her to this lake we visit often. I’d asked my brother to organise fireworks and everything, but… you know what she’s like. She kind of figured it out before I got the chance.”

“That’s Hermione,” Robert said with a nod. “Very intuitive.”

“Yeah, well, she also was ready to kick me out because she learnt that I had taken a lot of money out of our account. So, I had to tell her the reason before she got the chance. I used the money for her engagement ring, by the way,” he said at Robert’s quizzical look.

“It’s a nice one,” Robert replied.

“Yeah, it is.” Ron smiled slightly at the image still in his mind, as clear as day. “I kind of asked her on the floor of our bedroom. But she said yes after deciding not to murder me for spending so much on her. I’ve been wanting to do it for a year, almost. I just… couldn’t afford to straight away.”

Robert smiled. “Well, I really am happy for you, Ron. She loves you very much. You’ll have a very happy life together, I’m sure.”

“I hope so,” Ron said. “She makes me —” He wanted to say a lot of things, but didn’t think some of them appropriate to say in front of Hermione’s dad. “She makes me happy,” was what he settled on.

Robert nodded. “I know.”

Hermione and her mother came back after that, Hermione clutching a few folders and looking pleased. “These will be perfect, Mum. Thanks.”

“What are they?” Ron asked, taking one from her hands and flipping through it. It was a book with blank pages.

“Mum said we can use them to plan our wedding. She’s been meaning to get rid of them for ages.”

“I find writing things down and making lists is very beneficial,” Jane said.

Ron smiled at Hermione, and she smiled back. If they weren’t in her parents’ kitchen, he’d kiss her where she stood. She was in her element with all those empty folders, and Merlin did he love her when she was in her element.

“So, does your family know, Ron?” Jane asked, breaking Ron’s gaze from Hermione.

He startled. “Not yet. We’ll let them continue celebrating with Harry and Ginny. We haven’t even told Harry or Ginny yet, either, actually. We probably won’t. They think it’s happening next week.”

Hermione placed the folders on the bench. “Ron’s family has a lot to celebrate often,” she said. “So we told you first.”

At that, Jane beamed. “Well, I think we should get lunch sorted, don’t you? I think we should even maybe head out somewhere nice for this occasion.”

“I was just thinking the same thing,” Robert said.

Hermione looked at Ron, and he took her hand. “Sounds good to me,” he said, beaming, and she kissed him quickly.

Everyone smiled and Ron squeezed her hand tightly.

He loved her so very much and now that he’d asked her to marry him, he couldn’t wait for their wedding day.

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