Chapter Text
Ron and Hermione’s spacious flat was glowing against the night sky. It occupied the top floor of a converted Victorian warehouse in Clerkenwell, and the enormous factory windows looked out across the bright lights of London. The old steel columns divided the open-plan living space, with glass-brick panels half partitioning off the brushed steel kitchen.
Ron and Hermione were snuggled on their sofa, basking in the decision they had just made.
Hermione drew back from Ron just enough to look at him properly, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "We’re getting married” she breathed. Ron grinned, squeezing her hand. "We’re getting married.”
She reached for the folder she'd tucked into the one of their bookcases and held it almost shyly in her lap.
"I... may have made a few arrangements in case you agreed."
His eyebrows lifted.
"I booked us a hotel."
He nodded,unable to stop smiling.
"It's in the Highlands.It's beautiful." She opened the folder, showing him moving photographs of an old stone hotel nestled beneath copper hills, a nearby loch reflecting the landscape. "I thought... if we we’r going to disappear, we might as well disappear properly and to somewhere gorgeous. As it’s November it should be very quiet as well, not swarming with tourists.”
She glanced at him as his thumb swept back and forth over the back of her hand and he looked down at the photos smiling.
She took this as a sign he wasn’t cross and carried on “I figured if you said no to eloping then we could just go there to celebrate getting engaged but ... I did speak to a celebrant, she knows we're coming." She hesitated, a little self-conscious now. "I had both our dress robes cleaned and pressed while you were away on a mission a few weeks ago, and... and of course the rings are already here."
Her fingers rested lightly on the little box between them.For a long moment Ron didn't speak.His gaze drifted slowly around their sitting room—the big windows, Crookshanks curled up on Ron’s favourite chair; the numerous Habitat bookcases their big warehouse flat allowed and back to the folder resting in Hermione's lap, the pale gold pair of rings catching the light where she'd left the box open.
When he met her gaze again, his eyes were suspiciously bright. “I think," he said quietly, his voice unusually tight, that “this is the happiest I've ever been."
Hermione smiled, and tears gathered in her own eyes.He slipped an arm around her waist and drew her onto his lap as if he couldn't bear for there to be any space between them. She settled there naturally, curling against him, his arms around her, her forehead resting against his.
Neither of them spoke for a while. Eventually Ron shook his head slightly, almost in disbelief.”I don't know what I ever did to deserve you."
Hermione's expression softened with tenderness.”You didn’t need to do anything. You loved me."
He smiled faintly.”I've done that since I was eighteen."
"I know."
"And I'll do it until I'm old and grey."
"Me too."She reached up and cupped his face in both hands.”That's why I wanted to marry you." His eyes closed for a moment, leaning instinctively into her touch.
“We’ll need witnesses won’t we?” He murmured eventually” - who?”
Hermione bit her lip “ I already asked and the photographer can do it and someone from the hotel or … well as part of the package there’s a piper and he can do it. “
Ron started to grin “A piper? “
Hermione hesitated “I know it probably seems a bit excessive. I just kept thinking of one more thing, and then another, and before I knew it—" She stopped as he reached for her hand again. “I thought..." she admitted quietly, "...if everything was all ready to go, then all you'd have to do was say yes."
He cupped her face and brought her close for another kiss. When they finally broke apart he asked: “So you’d be alright with that? The photographer and the piper - not …” he hesitated “Not Harry and Ginny?”
Hermione ran a hand over his chest “If you’d prefer that we can ask them but… I guess I want this to be just ours, you know? Something that’s just about us.”
Ron nodded slowly “Yeah, I get it. I like that - just me and you. Probably for the best, if we ask Ginny some of my brothers might be a bit put out anyway.”
“So just us?”
He leaned his forehead against hers again “Just us.”
They smiled at each other. Tomorrow they would stand together in Scotland and promise themselves to one another forever. Tonight, it was enough simply to know that forever had already begun. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, his eyes never leaving hers as he made to stand and pulled her gently towards their bedroom.
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The Highlands greeted them with crisp November air that caught in their lungs the moment they arrived. Before them, the hotel stood on the edge of a dark loch, its old stone walls glowing warmly against the autumn landscape. The hills beyond blazed with copper, crimson and gold and where the hills rose higher still, their peaks where dusted with a powdery fresh snow that glittered beneath a pale morning sun.
"It looks even better than the photographs," Hermione whispered.
Ron came to stand beside her, pulling her close as they gazed up at the landscape together.”It's beautiful."
For a while they simply stood together, letting the silence settle around them. There was no London traffic, no Ministry owls, no hurried footsteps. Only the distant rush of water and the cold, clean scent of pine carried on the breeze.It felt as though the rest of the world had slipped away.
Inside, the hotel was filled with oak furniture, crackling fires and enormous windows that framed the hills like they were pieces of art.The staff greeted them with gentle warmth, seeming very accustomed to couples who arrived with nervous smiles and shining eyes.
An hour later Hermione stood before the bedroom mirror fastening the last clasp of her dress robes.They were not new. She had worn them to some Ministry receptions and charity events, though never before had they seemed quite so beautiful to her. The soft blue fabric of the long slip dress caught the afternoon light and reminded her of frost spreading across a window. She’d used plenty of Sleekeazy's to persuade her hair into a neat updo with several tendrils still curling round her face.
Ron was waiting near the door. He had changed into his own dress robes, dark navy blue with simple black fastenings. For a long moment he simply looked at her.
Hermione felt suddenly self-conscious.
"Ron?"
He blinked.”Sorry."
"I was wondering..."She looked down at the pale blue fabric gathered beneath her fingers.”Do you mind that I'm not wearing white?"
He frowned slightly, as though the thought had never occurred to him.”Why would I?"
"I don't know." She gave a small shrug.” I suppose brides usually do."
He crossed the room until he stood directly in front of her.”I like this dress."
"You do?"
"Yeah. I always have."
Hermione smiled.”I thought you might. You always seem to like it when I wear this colour."She glanced down at the robes with an affectionate smile.”This sort of dusty icy blue."
Ron was quiet for a moment and he looked faintly embarrassed. She tilted her head at him in question. Then he reached for her as he seemed almost uncertain whether to continue.
"It's..."A faint sort of sad smile tugged at one corner of his mouth.”It reminds me of the Deluminator."
She stared at him.
"That little blue light."His hand stroked gently across her arm as his voice grew quieter now.”The one that found me."
Hermione felt something catch painfully in her chest.Ron gave a small, almost shy laugh.”I suppose that's always what I think of, you know, with that colour.”
Well now the dress seemed perfect . Slowly, almost without thinking, she lifted her free hand and slipped it inside his shirt, pushing some buttons free. She rested her fingers against the centre of his chest. Beneath her palm she could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Ron covered her hand with his own as Hermione rose onto her toes and kissed him gently.
When she drew back, she gazed up at him.”Are you ready?" she whispered.
Ron smiled.”I've been ready since you asked."
Hand in hand, they left the room together and walked downstairs to begin the rest of their lives.