Two

Disclaimer: See chapter one.

Thanks, again, go to fizzabella! Thanks for the beta read, doll!

Chapter Two

Muffin barked in agreement with her new master's plans and possessively nuzzled Ron's leg.

Hermione swallowed thickly, tears welling in her eyes. The ring itself was beautiful. She wondered what he'd paid for it and how he could have afforded it, but she dared not ask him. "I don't know what to say," she said, feeling numb, her words coming out in choked sobs.

"Say yes."

"Before I give you my answer," she reached down with shaky fingers to extract the diamond from its box, "we need to have that talk. Please."

Ron nodded and stood. "Fair enough." He pushed the ring down her slender, shaking digit. "I was right. It fits perfectly."

There was that word again: perfect. Things could be perfect if she could get past her insecurities and doubts. "It's beautiful, Ron."

He smiled and led her down the narrow hallway and through the door of the kitchen. He gestured to the oval table and asked, "Tea?"

"I don't see why not." She sat down and watched as he went about getting their tea. It wasn't very often that he took the initiative and "waited" on her, so she chose to enjoy it. What would life be like with Ron as her husband? Would he learn to be a little more considerate over the years? Would he share in domestic responsibilities? Would he learn to not use Shorty?

"You look like you've a lot on your mind."

The day came rushing back to her. "I have. The whole Ministry was in an uproar today!"

"That matching service rubbish?"

"You know about it?"

"Dad was mentioning it to Mum. I heard them in the kitchen."

"He didn't look very upset to me. Nor did your mum."

"What's to be upset about?" Ron asked, shrugging as he flicked his wand to summon two cups and saucers. "Sounds like a solid plan."

"They're going to force people to use this service, Ron! It's an injustice if you ask me. I don't think anyone should be forced to..."

"Nobody's getting forced. It's just a new department that the Ministry is opening up in hopes of making good matches for those who want to find someone but can't by conven... er... oh, conventional means. Yeah," he nodded, "that's the word Dad used."

"Well, there's that," she said impatiently, "but there's more. Some people are going to be forced to use this."

"Who?"

"People like Professor Snape!"

Ron shook his head. "What would they want that arse helping to repopulate the Wizarding world for?"

"I expect it's more like a form of probation!"

"He never got charged with any of his crimes."

"No, but this way, they can keep tabs on him, can't they? Choose him a bride and force him to play the part of the docile husband." Her lips curled. "Imagine!"

"Not something I want to think about, thanks," Ron quipped, handing her a cup full of hot tea before sitting across from her. "Some of those arses should be forced to pay at least some debt to society."

Hermione took a sip of her tea and set the cup down with a clink. While crossing her arms over her chest, she said, "Even Draco Malfoy is going to be forced into this."

"What? Him? He's dating Parkinson last I saw."

"Yes, but he's on the list of those forced." Toying with the napkin Ron had placed before her, she said, "I don't like him and think he should do something for the Wizarding world after doing so much against it, but think about it... Would you want to be forced to leave the one you love behind? That's a bit extreme."

"I'm sure he'll protest and they'll give him some leeway. Hell, Parkinson can take the little test or whatever they do, and they can get matched up that way." Ron took a sip of his own tea, smacked his lips, and then gulped down another one.

"Well, they will have choices. I hadn't the chance to read over everything thoroughly, but it does seem... I just hate it. It seems barbaric."

"What was the uproar about? People against it?"

"Some," she said with a sigh, "but most were happy about it, saying how this can impact society positively, how it can help shape the next generation, mixing people this way...certain blood types together, certain classes. Others like Lucius Malfoy were furious."

"Heh, some poor sod might land a rich wife then." Ron grinned. "Lucky bastard... unless she looks like..." He shuddered. "Wouldn't be worth it." He then smiled. "I lucked out both ways, didn't I? You've got the looks and the money."

Hermione laughed. "So the truth is revealed then. I finally know what it is you want of me. I might have known it wasn't my brain."

Ron turned serious and put his tea down. "Do you want the truth?"

"I... yes." His somber expression startled her, and she nearly feared for the worst.

"It's your arse. Quite nice, that."

"Ron!" Hermione laughed in relief. "I was being serious."

"Serious it is then. What is it you want to discuss?"

"Our future. If we do this, get married, what's to ensure we'll always be happy?"

Ron's eyebrows arched at odd angles. "Sorry?"

"What do you want from this marriage?" she asked honestly.

"Sex. Kids. You. Sex. A family." He smiled. "Did I mention sex?

"Maybe once." She returned his smile, saying, "Let's start with the family part. I'm not ready for children yet."

"But you will be before long." He smirked knowingly.

"Who's to say it will be so soon?"

"Well, you're going to be twenty-three this year. It's not much longer before you'll be ready, I'm sure."

"Ron, I'd like to further my career a bit more first. That could take longer."

"How much further?" He cast her a look filled with suspicion. "How long?"

"I would really like to be the head of my department one day. That takes a lot of time and energy. I couldn't do that and devote myself to a family fulltime."

"I'm not following you, Hermione. We've got Shorty, and Mum will always be round to help. You don't have to worry about that kind of stuff. Like I said, soon, not tomorrow. In a year or so, you'll see how important it is." He shrugged as if he had thought everything out completely.

"Ron, it may take up to ten years to work my way through the department ranks, and I can't just devote part of myself to something. I have to give it my all." She bit her lip and looked away, annoyed with the turn their conversation had taken. "And I don't want to depend on a house-elf or anyone else to take care of my family! I want to establish myself and then do like my mum did. The question is, Ron, are you willing to accept that and wait until I'm ready...without pressuring me?"

He blew out a long breath, which caused his fringe to twirl about. "That's... It's a real long time, that."

Hermione's face fell. "You wouldn't wait for me?" To her it was the equivalent of saying he didn't love her enough.

There was a short pause before he spoke, almost hesitantly. "Yeah. Yeah, I would."

He tried to flash a reassuring smile, but she could see that it was forced. "Ron, don't you dare try to lie to keep from hurting me. If we don't address this now, and honestly, we might end up wasting years of our lives."

"You sound like you want to end things."

"No! I want to marry you. I want a life with you, and I do want a family...just not right now."

"I see." He stood and walked over to the counter and gazed out the window.

Unable to stop herself, she went to him and laid her cheek against his back, snaking her arms around his body from behind. "I love you, Ron."

"I love you, too, Hermione."

There was something in his voice that didn't bode well. "But?"

"But nothing. That's it. We'll do it your way. We'll wait."

She pressed a light kiss on his back. "I want you to be happy. This isn't about just catering to me and my needs."

Ron spun around to face her, not letting her hands fall from his body. "Five years," he blurted. "No matter where you are in your career, we'll try to start a family then. We'll work it out, do what it takes to get things done. I can help, you know, so don't be thinking you'll have to do it all alone. We don't need Mum or Shorty. Just us."

Hermione nodded. "All right. Five years."

"And if you change your mind and want to do it sooner, I'm good with that as well."

"About Shorty," she said, ignoring his mischievous smile, "will you try to stop using him for such silly things?"

"Like what?" he asked, truly puzzled.

"Running your bath water for you when you are two feet away from the tub for starters. Just because you can use him doesn't mean you have to."

"But he loves helping."

"But I disapprove of how you use him sometimes."

"It's his job, Hermione. Ask him. He'll tell you he doesn't mind."

"But I mind. You know how I feel about them...the elves and how they are treated."

"I'm no fucking Malfoy," he said, suddenly angry, and pushed away from her.

"I would never compare you to someone like him!"

"'Here, Shorty, help me make this bed...' Sure sounds better than 'Get your ugly arse over here, Shorty, and let me kick you in the arse while I'm at it just because.'"

Hermione grabbed his wrist to halt his pacing. "You're taking what I said out of context. I just meant that I'd like you to be more respectful of him and of my wishes. We've been over this so many times, and you still don't get it! He's a creature with feelings...just like us."

"He's a bloody house-elf! There's a difference."

"I know how they feel, but that's been bred into them!"

"Ah, what happened to all that rot about how you understand them now that you are closer to them and have your own?"

"It's not rot! I'm just..." She released her hold on him with a long sigh and resisted the urge to shake him into understanding what she was trying to say.

"This isn't going the way I expected."

"What did you expect? You wanted me to simply say yes without giving it thought? Without discussing things?"

"Something like that, yes," he replied, the fight gone from his voice. "I just thought you loved me enough to want to be with me, to work things out as they come...like most people do." Spinning around to face her, his expression now torn between anger and hurt, he asked, "Do you think Ginny and Harry had a big long conversation when he asked her?" Before she could reply, he said, "Of course they didn't! Why? Because they love each other enough to know that they can face whatever comes together."

"I'm not Harry or Ginny!"

He swallowed and visibly tried to calm down. "Take a walk through the rest of the place. See if you like it. I need some time to think."

"Don't go, Ron."

Holding up a hand, he said, "Just let me be, Hermione." And with that, he turned and walked from the room without looking back, leaving a distraught and disappointed Hermione in his wake.

"What have I done?" she whispered.

She'd let her silly feelings and misgivings get to her... coupled with the troubling day she'd had at work. And now what? She'd just hurt Ron. Why couldn't she be more like Ginny? Why couldn't she live for the moment and trust in her heart enough to know that life would work out for them? Why did she have to analyze everything so much?

"I just wanted to be honest," she said softly, looking down at the shining diamond on her finger as if it would commiserate with her. She wanted Ron. Loved him. Knew they could have a good life together. But was it too much to ask that he respect her wishes? That he compromise also? That he didn't expect her to give up her goals and dreams to realize his so soon rather than waiting until she was ready for them?

"Not so perfect after all then."

AN: Ah, sometimes things just don't work out the way we've planned.

SW69's Additional Note: I thought I'd posted this already! Gonna put this up--finally.