You and Me, Forever - Romione

042. Happiness

There was nothing Hermione liked more than holidays at the Burrow. Paper decorations were hung across the ceilings and floating twinkling lights were spread out across the house. It smelled like cinnamon and pine, and Mrs. Weasley always had a batch of eggnog ready. Ron also had a habit of pulling Hermione into every corner, making mistletoe appear over their heads, and kissing her until she was breathless.

This year, however, was even better than most. This year, she wasn't just Ron's friend or Ron's girlfriend. She was Ron's fiancée. They sat together on the armchair closest to the fire, watching as their friends and family opened gift after gift. Hermione had already exchanged all of her gifts, so she was content to just snuggle against Ron's chest and enjoy the cheerful sounds from everyone else.

When it was time for Molly to hand out the Weasley sweaters, Hermione grinned at Ron. He groaned, but she knew he loved his mum's sweaters. Hermione had grown more affectionate of them over the years as well because, when she saw Ron wearing them around their apartment, she knew it was going to be a good day. They'd sit on the couch and cuddle all day—morning to night—watching movies, drinking hot chocolate, and forgetting about everything but each other.

When Mrs. Weasley made her way to their chair, she held out two packages. One to Ron, and one to. . . Hermione.

"For me?" she asked, staring at the bundle with shock.

"Well, of course," Mrs. Weasley confirmed. "You're one of us now."

She walked away, still handing out the gifts, and Hermione could do nothing but stare at hers. Her very own Weasley sweater. Ron poked her in the back affectionately. She turned back to smile at him.

"You know what this means," he teased. "You're stuck with us."

Hermione smiled even brighter, unwrapping the package excitedly. Her sweater was a beautiful shade of lilac, and she slipped it over her head immediately. The sleeves were a few inches too long, and she knew that when she stood up, the sweater would hang halfway to her knees, but she didn't mind. Ron wrapped his arms around her waist, and Hermione leaned into him, the idea of being one of them—one of the Weasleys—filling her with overwhelming joy.