Prologue

Quick breaths, sighs, and moans died slowly in the otherwise quiet room. After a few moments had passed, Ron freed her from his weight by falling onto his back and taking Hermione with him. Used to this move by now, she just let herself follow the motion and resting her head on his shoulder.

It was all of those little things she knew to expect from him that made her miss him the most. She knows she will miss that she wouldn't catch him appreciating her body at the oddest moments, or that he wouldn't interrupt her in the middle of a chore to make love to her right there and then. She'll miss that when she gets out of the bathroom in the mornings she won't find a cup of tea on her dresser, or the quick kiss goodbye he gives her before she leaves for work.

It was like her brain didn't know he was away on a mission, and it requested that he be there with her, making tea for her and kissing her goodbye. It was like it demanded she had those things, and his smell, and annoying habits, or it wouldn't consent on working properly.

She didn't really blame her brain; she knew how much Ron was a part of her. Still, it didn't mean she didn't care for the way her whole self seemed to miss him when he was away. This time, it seemed it'd be at least a month. She was already upset by the way she knew she'd feel after just a few days of his absence.

"How certain is it you'll be back in a month?" she asked.

He started caressing the skin on her back, taking a little time to reply. When he answered, his voice was heavy with sleep. "I really don't know. The track we have on them is weak at best, and the way they're moving is more than a bit weird, so we're forced to go and track them personally. It really depends on what we catch them doing and where or when. The four week estimate could either be more pessimist than needed or far too innocent… so I really don't know."

"Do you at least have an idea what they might be doing there? You told me it was a rocky forest kind of place, and that you, nor the team, couldn't imagine what they'd want there."

"Yesterday we got Neville's consultation report. Can you imagine he's a Hogwarts' teacher now and a freelance consultant in Herbology for the Ministry?" he said, smiling.

She smiled back. "Yes, I can. The youngest professor in Hogwarts' history; I've always known he's great."

"Oh, yeah, I know," he replied, looking at her sideways. "He was the first guy you ever talked to on the train."

She laughed an incredulous laugh. "Please, Ron, you can't possibly tell me you're jealous of that now?"

"I'm not jealous, Hermione. I'm just... stating a fact."

She looked him down as best as she could from where she was. "Good. Anyway, what did Neville's report say?"

"It said that there were some plants in the area that are really difficult to find, and most useful for some dark magic potions. Ramsden did a follow up of some of the suspects, and maybe that is what those wizards are after. Those plants could be sold for high sums of money, if they're not planning on doing the potions themselves."

"Yes, it could be that. It's good Auror Ramsden will go as a part of the team. He must have studied the suspects' profile in depth when he did the report, so he'll be able to tell you more about what to expect from them."

After few seconds had passed by, Hermione finally decided to say the only thing left for her to say. "I'm going to miss you. I always do, and it has never been more than a couple of weeks before."

"I can't deny it makes me happy to know you'll miss me." He kissed the top of her head. "Does it make it better to know I'll miss you, too?"

She sighed. "I know you'll miss me, but will a part of your brain always be thinking that something might have happened to me and you don't know?"

She knew her voice had sounded a little strained, but she hadn't been able to help it.

"In a certain way yeah, it will. I always wonder how you are, what you're doing… it's not easy being away, you know."

"I know that, and it's now what I meant," she replied, breathing deep and trying not to sound angry. Their last night together wasn't supposed to end with a quarrel. "It's just that I'll keep doing the same things I always do, only that you won't be here… it's such a contrast, because I know what I'll be missing."

She got up to support her weight on an elbow, watching him closely.

He was wide-awake now, certainly because he'd realized it was a serious conversation for her. His hair was a mess, a consequence of her fingers running through it as they made love a short while ago. His brows were furrowed, his skin slightly flushed. His hand had stilled on her back. "Hermione… you know this is part of the job. You know I have to go."

"I know that. It's exactly why I've never asked you to stay, even if I can't help being afraid that maybe this time something will happen that'll stop you from coming back." She saw he was ready to reply to that, but she interrupted him with a hand on his chest. "I know you're one of the best Aurors out there, that helps me control the fear. I know you won't be making silly mistakes or risking your life unnecessarily… but it still doesn't guarantee me that you'll be back. It's that small chance that something unpredictable will happen that keeps worming its way to my thoughts, and making me wish it wasn't a part of the job for you to go away on missions.

"I know," she continued after taking a deep breath, "… that anything could happen, here, or there, or in two years. Rationally, I know all of that. You can't deny, though, that the chances rise if you're in an unfamiliar territory fighting Dark Wizards."

"But…"

"All I mean by this, Ron, is please come back to me, okay?"

That silenced his reply. His eyes softened. "Merlin, Hermione…" His free hand reached for her face, caressing it. "You know I couldn't stay away, even if I tried. And I wouldn't!"

"I know, but..."

"There's no way I'd leave you," he continued. Now his hand found hers on his chest, looking for her engagement ring. "There's no way I'd leave all of this behind."

"Oh, Ron..." she tried to find the words for what she was feeling. The problem was that even she didn't understand where this all was coming from. "I know you wouldn't, but we can never know. So I guess all that there's left to say is that I love you."

He kissed her. "You're right, we never know what might happen. I can't promise I'll be back... but I can promise I'll try for as long as I'm alive to come back to you. I love you, too."

They kissed again, trying to convey with their lips all the emotions this conversation had provoked. They hugged, trying to get as close to each other as they could, so maybe their bodies would finally imprint on each other. Then they made love, hoping maybe this time the feeling of being joined would last them forever.

What they didn't know was no matter how much they tried, their bodies and souls would still call for each other when apart. Even after months of not knowing where Ron was.

A/N: This is the first original writing I've done for my OTP in a long while, and first multichap ever. I hope you like it as much as I'm enjoying writing it.

Thanks forever to my amazing beta Pili, without whom this story would have had too many typos and errors for you to read without getting a headache.

Also, I want to thank Otterandterrier and Diva-gonzo, for encouraging me to finish this story when I found it on my pc after 3 years (!).