AU where Hermione's parents' memories were healed after the War and Hermione wants to introduce them to her boyfriend.

Ron is terrified. And really awkward.

Third Person POV:

Ron Weasley was a bit of a nervous wreck. He was clinging to Hermione's hand so tight she'd lost feeling in her fingers.

"Honestly, Ronald. Relax. They're going to love you," she assured him, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He had to lean down a bit for her to reach. Hermione glanced at the door in front of them and nodded to herself. "This is it."

Ron's grip on her hand tightened and she pulled it away, flexing her fingers. "Sorry..." Ron muttered. "What if they hate me?" He asked. "What if your parents... I dunno... don't think I'm good enough for you? Merlin, they'd be right." He looked down the hallway, wondering if it was too late to turn around and leave.

"Stop that," Hermione snapped, making Ron jump. "You are more than good enough for me and I know my parents will see that." She reaches for the door handle but hesitated. Ron knew she was nervous. Not as nervous as he was, but nervous that maybe the healers were wrong and her parents' memories hadn't been fully restored. They were still at St. Mungo's after all.

She took a steadying breath and opened the door. Ron followed her into the room, trying to calm himself. Inside, seated in 2 armchairs, were a middle-aged man and a middle-aged woman. Ron noticed instantly how much Hermione looked like her father. Mr. Granger had the same crazy hair and intelligent eyes as his daughter. When Mrs. Granger smiled, he noticed that while Hermione had mostly her father's looks, she had her mother's smile.

Mrs. Granger stood and opened her arms, and Hermione eagerly hugged her, her face buried in her mother's shoulder. Mr. Granger stood and joined the hug, and Ron watched with a small smile at the reunited family. It was smaller than his own family but no less loving.

Hermione fought her way out of the embrace, stepping back beside Ron. He wanted to grab her hand or put her arm around her, or anything to remind himself that she was there. But Hermione hadn't told her parents who he was yet, and he wanted to let her tell them... in her own way.

"Mum," she said, "Dad." She gestured at Ron and they both smiled. "This is Ron, you know, the one I've told you about- my friend." They both nodded, a look of recognition coming across their faces. Hermione's father started to extend his hand when Hermione wound her small arm around Ron's waist. "Actually... now he's my boyfriend."

The shock was registering on their faces as Ron wrapped his arm around Hermione's shoulders, tugging her a little closer. It felt good to be close to her. It reminded him that she was alive and that they both were safe. Being close to Hermione made Ron feel safe, and not just because he knew she could out-hex Merlin himself. He also liked knowing that Hermione was safe. Because if she wasn't safe, Ron wouldn't be calm until she was.

Hermione's father coughed and patted Ron on the shoulder, still looking startled. "Nice to meet you, young man. I trust you take good care of my daughter. With everything that happened... I know it wasn't always safe for her in your... world. With us as parents." He meant because she was muggle-born but probably didn't know the right word for it.

"It wasn't- but it wasn't exactly safe for me either. You see, I'm a pure-blooded wizard, but my family has never had a problem with muggles- er- non-magic people. So most purebloods consider us, well, traitors." He looked at Hermione, then back at her parents.

A memory popped into Hermione's head. Malfoy Manor, when Bellatrix had been about to torture her. Ron had volunteered. He had offered to be tortured instead of her. But Bellatrix had deemed a "mudblood" to be worse than a "blood traitor."

"I- I did my best to protect her-sir," Ron stammered, looking to Hermione for help. She was smiling in amusement and offered no assistance. "But honestly, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your daughter." Hermione blushed and shrugged a little, but didn't deny it. "She's bloody brilliant, honestly. But you guys raised her, so I'm sure you already know that."

Mrs. Granger was smiling proudly at Hermione as Ron spoke, nodding along. "Well, Hermione," she began, "it seems like you've found yourself a nice young man." Hermione nodded, leaning into Ron's side. "And we're both very glad you had people who care about you by your side while you were off saving the world."

Ron grinned a little at the approval. The nerves that had been bothering him all day were easing, and he was glad he'd let Hermione drag him there. "I'll give you guys a few minutes alone," Ron said, wanting to let Hermione have some time with her family. And he was kind of anxious to get out of there. Hospital rooms alone made Ron uneasy, but he was also secretly worried that Hermione's parents were just pretending to like him.

Ron removed his arm from Hermione's shoulders and grabbed her hand briefly, giving it a quick squeeze. Mr. Granger extended his hand and Ron shook it firmly. Mrs. Granger nodded at him, smiling kindly. She extended a hand for him to shake too. Both of Hermione's parents were very business-like, which was clearly where Hermione had got her personality.

Ron glanced at Hermione and noticed that she looked tense. Since the War she had been more anxious when they weren't near each other. Ron felt the same way whenever she wasn't in sight and he couldn't be sure what was happening to her. "I'll be right outside this room," he whispered. She nodded, looking a bit less anxious, but not completely at ease. He walked out of the hospital room and closed the door behind him, taking a seat on a bench nearby.

Ron waited on that bench for Hermione to finish catching up with her parents, fighting the urge to burst in there ever couple minutes to check on her. What if one of her parents was under the Imperius Curse? What if a Death Eater burst in there? He knew he was being paranoid, but he couldn't help but worry.

When Hermione finally emerged from her parents' room looking around almost frantically, Ron was on his feet within seconds, approaching her. He made sure she saw him before he hugged her, not wanting to jump her. Partially because he didn't want to get hexed and partially because she'd been jumpy since the War and he hated the terror that flashed in her eyes whenever something jumped her.

She wrapped her arms around him as he pulled her closer, leaning down to kiss her. "How'd it go?" He asked as he pulled away from the kiss, his arms still around her neck. He gazed down at her, grinning in the innocent, dopey way he only did when she was grinning back.

Hermione nodded a bit as she spoke, "It went good. I- I never thought I'd be able to talk to them again." She was tearing up, her smile turning bittersweet. "I feel horrible... about what I did. I had to protect them. They're muggles, they couldn't protect themselves. But I- I just erased their memories. Their memories of me."

Ron pulled her into a hug. He wasn't really sure what to say, but he managed to stammer out a few hopefully comforting words. "Well- they're not mad, are they? So it's not that big a deal. I mean it is. But it's not if they understand why you did it. Right?"

Hermione huffed, pulling away from Ron's embrace. "You're such an idiot," she complained, rolling her eyes. She was trying to hide it, but Ron could see a hint of a smile on her face. He just pulled her back towards him, chuckling at the little gasp she gave when she hit his chest. "What are you doing?" She asked, giggling a little.

Ron shrugged, wrapping his arms around her. "Do you want me to stop?" He asked, knowing what her answer would be.

As expected, Hermione shook her head, wrapping her thin arms around his torso. They stood there like that for a quite a while before Hermione noticed the time and they apparated away, going to find a better place to be together than the hospital corridor.

I suck.
This whole thing kind of sucks, especially the end.
I'm so sorry.
Shoutout to CarriageFullOfDreams for this awesome idea
I wish I'd executed it better
Maybe I'll have better luck on the next update
Which will NOT take so long
Probably
Sorry