You and Me, Forever - Romione

027. Spring

Ron followed Harry and Hermione off the train to where their families, accompanied by a few Order members, stood waiting for them. Ron wasn't quite ready to face his mum yet, not when he knew she'd immediately start pressing him for insight into why Fred and George left school so suddenly. Instead, he turned to Harry and Hermione, who were already walking towards Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Both of Hermione's parents' faces lit up when they saw Harry, and Ron didn't know why, but that bothered him.

Of course they wanted to talk to Harry, Ron thought bitterly. He was the Boy who Lived, and now there was all this "Chosen One" business. Ron was just the sidekick who was attacked by a brain, of all things.

"Ron!" Mrs. Granger called cheerfully, snapping Ron out of his self-deprecation session. "We've heard so much about you this year!"

"Mum!" Hermione exclaimed before Ron was able to process what her mom had said. Her eyes widened and her face turned pink. "Well, er, we should be going."

Ron watched in confusion as Hermione said goodbye to Ginny and his parents, her face turning brighter by the second. He hadn't seen her this flustered in quite some time, but at least normally he knew what caused it. Right now, he had no idea.

Hermione approached Ron and Harry last, giving Harry a hug first before moving on to Ron. Her arms twitched at first as if she was nervous about hugging him. When she did, it only lasted a second before she pulled away, chewing on her lip, and walked back to her parents.

As they were about to exit the platform, she turned back to Ron and Harry to smile weakly and wave, leaving an extremely confused Ron in her wake.