Chapter Text
Ron had kept Hermione up very late so she was surprised when he woke her early, kissing her as he began untucking her from the bed.
“Ron,” she muttered into his lips, “I want to sleep.”
“I know precious, but we have to go see Harry. Everything is okay,” he added quickly when her eyes flew open. “Everything is okay, but we have to go, have to see him.”
The furniture in the small room clattered as Ron pulled pajamas over Hermione’s body, slid her feet into slippers, and gathered her beaded bag that she never went anywhere without. She let him dress her with sleepy amusement. She stuck her wand through her bun to hold her curls up. Ron grabbed her hand and gently pulled her down the stairs.
On the landing Ron halted. His grip loosened on Hermione’s hand. He turned towards Ginny’s door. Luna was standing there, looking slightly absurd in too many layers for the summer heat. She stared back at Ron as though glued to the spot.
“Alpha,” Luna whispered.
Hermione wrinkled her brow in confusion. Alpha?
Ginny appeared in the doorway, also layered as though going out in the snow. She stood protectively in front of Luna, glaring daggers at Ron. Ron moved away from the doorway. His grip tightening on Hermione’s hand once more and he pulled her closer. He wrinkled his nose like Ginny smelled. Hermione’s confusion deepened; she couldn’t smell anything.
“DA!” Ginny called urgently down the stairs.
Ginny turned, grabbing Luna’s face with both her hands and kissed her. Hermione smiled. Good. Those two had been longing for each other for at least a year. The world needed more joy in it.
“Just a second, love. I’ll be right there,” Ginny said.
Ginny gently pushed Luna into her bedroom and closed the door behind her before turning back to Ron and Hermione. Mr. Weasley arrived on the landing just then, sniffing the air. Hermione’s mind began to sort the pieces into place.
“Da,” Ginny exhaled, looking relieved. “Ron needs to leave, maybe Grimmauld Place? Not here.”
Mr. Weasley nodded in agreement. After a moment Ron did too, pulling Hermione with him towards the stairs.
“Molly,” Mr. Weasley called down, “can you see to Ron’s teeth?”
“Hermione,” Ginny called, catching her hand.
Hermione felt Ron stiffen beside her, his grip on her hand tightened.
“Don’t go unless you’re sure about Ron,” Ginny paused, “and maybe Harry too…”
Hermione looked into Ginny’s eyes, sleepiness finally giving way to understanding. She nodded, smiling briefly at Ginny and giving her hand a squeeze before letting go and wrapping both her hands in Ron’s.
“Let’s go to Grimmauld Place.”
Ron smiled at her and drew her in for a kiss. It was a very good kiss. Hermione leaned in and forgot where they were until Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. She sprung away from Ron, blushing. They headed down the stairs together.
Mrs. Weasley met them in front of the fireplace. She also sniffed the air and smiled.
“Oh Ron!” she said. “Just as I expected. Now come here, we can’t have you biting Hermione before she’s done her research.”
She smiled warmly at Hermione who flushed again but smiled back. Mrs. Weasley muttered a spell. Ron traced his tongue over teeth that now appeared to have a thin flexible cap over them.
“Thank you, Mrs. Weasley,” Hermione said seriously.
Mrs. Weasley smiled back fondly. Ron moved forward, his focus on getting to Harry. In a flash of fire and Floo powder, he and Hermione spun away.
*
Hermione and Ron tumbled into the fireplace at Grimmauld Place, startling Harry who was curled in an armchair, reading. Ron tugged Hermione with him determinedly, and came to stand in front of Harry. Ron gently settled Hermione across from him so he could see them both. His eyes searched between their faces, long nose breathing them in.
“What-” Harry breathed, looking between Ron and Hermione.
“Ron presented this morning,” Hermione said, eyes searching Ron’s. “He’s an Alpha.”
“Your Alpha,” Ron corrected, looking at Harry and then Hermione. “If you’ll have me.”
“But I’m not, we aren’t…” Hermione looked meaningfully at Harry whose mind whirred trying to catch up. “We aren’t Omegas.”
Ron nodded, eyes still moving between Harry and Hermione.
Hermione pressed on, “When you smelled Luna this morning you stopped.” She paused, “Don’t you want to try and find an Omega before you settle for a beta, even if it’s two betas?”
Harry curled his fingers into Hermione’s. His heart cracked at the suggestion of Ron with someone other than Hermione… or him? He hadn’t dared to hope, had pushed those feelings down to not get in the way of their friendships.
“No!” Ron exclaimed. “No! Never. You two…” he paused. “It is hard to say. Never been much for words. Now all these instincts, and…”
He stepped forward without seeming to realize it, closer to Harry and Hermione. He still didn’t touch them.
“Luna smelled good. She smelled like Omega. But…” he trailed off, inhaling deeply. “You two smell like,” he grinned sheepishly, “well, you smell like mine.”
“Both of us?” Harry interjected, his heart thundering. “Ron, the horcrux, I don’t… I don’t want to get in the way of you two.”
He loosened his grip on Hermione’s hand, meaning to step away.
“No!” Ron moved forward, grasping Harry’s cheek with one large hand and sliding his other into Hermione’s free one.
“Harry,” Ron looked into his eyes. “It wasn’t Hermione choosing you that I feared. Well yes, but not exactly.”
Ron’s hand slipped around the back of Harry’s neck. Harry’s breathing went fast and shallow. He felt almost dizzy with hope.
“It was the two of you not choosing me. Being together without me,” Ron’s voice cracked lightly on the last word.
“Ron,” Hermione said barely above a whisper, “what does your amortentia smell like? You would never tell me.”
Ron laughed wryly, looking abashed. He took a deep breath, and looked first at Harry.
“It smells like the air in the morning, when we fly early.”
Harry’s heart leapt in his chest. Ron then gazed at Hermione, sliding his hand up her arm to cup her cheek.
“And bloody old books.”
Hermione laughed, tipping her head into his hand. Ron gripped the back of Harry’s neck tighter, his other hand gently thumbing Hermione’s lower lip.
Ron continued, “It smells like the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room… And your sweat, the salt of both your sweat.”
Hermione let out a contented sigh as Harry shifted his feet to accommodate his growing bulge.
“I thought I could only have Hermione,” Ron said to Harry. “I didn’t know if you would… if you wanted… but if…”
His eyes filled with vulnerability, and hope, and an edge of lust.
“But this is a lot all at once,” Ron stepped away quickly.
When Ron’s hand left Harry’s neck, he ached with the loss.
“This rut is about to take over,” Ron was panting slightly now. “Please think about it, and lock me in one of the spare bedrooms until it is done with some of your clothes to smell if it isn’t too much to ask.” He hesitated and then added, “I left you both once, so I understand if-” his voice cracked again.
Hermione had locked eyes with Harry when Ron had released them, having a silent and swift conversation. Harry felt a smile begin to crawl over his face. At the mention of leaving them though, they both started and then rushed to Ron.
“Ron,” Harry said, clasping Ron’s cheek and tilting his head to meet his gaze. “We forgave you ages ago.”
Hermione scoffed slightly.
“Well, I forgave you ages ago, and Hermione did this summer,” Harry amended.
Hermione slipped a hand into Ron’s. “You know I want you. And-” she drew in a breath, “I want Harry, too. I want you and Harry to have each other. I want the three of us together.”
As Hermione slipped her other arm around Harry’s waist, his heart sang. He had wanted this for so long. He had never thought it possible. Yet here they were, the three of them.
Ron blinked back tears, looking between them in disbelief. He took in a shaky breath and his voice came out deeper than Harry had heard before.
“I will protect you, and care for you - you both - for as long as you will have me.”
Ron turned to Harry, worry crossing his face. “Harry, you’re sure? I don’t even know if you like blok-“
Harry cut Ron off by taking his face in his hands and kissing him deeply. Harry’s heart hummed, finally, finally. Ron seemed to melt and then stiffened, taking charge of the kiss, and pulling Hermione in so she was sandwiched between them.
Ron broke the kiss with a groan, leaving Harry gasping and desperate for more.
“We’ve got about two minutes before it is all hormones and sex, so let’s get me into the spare bedroom before…”
“Before you fuck us silly?” Hermione interjected. “Why would we want to stop that?”
Ron looked at her and then Harry who nodded vigorously in agreement.
“Your mum capped your teeth,” Hermione continued. “We can wait and talk about bonding after this rut, but for now… Well for now, I think four years of sexual tension is more than enough. Merlin, just the tent was more than enough! Why wait?”
Ron kissed her and pulled Harry tight against them before apparating them to Harry’s bedroom with a crack.