"Never Again"
Hermione watched the crowds of people in the Burrow interacting from her corner. She loved this time of year. Christmas was always so full of hope and that was what she loved most about the season. It brought joy and hope to everyone, even those who thought that there was nothing left to hope for. She had not been this happy in a long time.
She looked over to the corner where Ron was standing with his arm around Lavender. They were chatting with Neville and Luna. She watched as Lavender snuggled deeper into Ron and tilted her hand just so that her engagement ring caught the light. As it flashed in Hermione's direction Lavender turned to grin at her maliciously. Hermione smiled back tightly before turning and walking outside to get some fresh air.
I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green
I hope when your in bed with her, you think of me
She turned slowly as the door opened behind her and a figure walked into the garden to get away from the heat and crowds. Her eyes slid to the window and she watched Ron throw his head back and laugh at something that Lavender had said. He used to laugh like that at her jokes. She, Ron, and Harry had always been inseperable. That was until that Lavender cow had shown up and bewitched Ron. He had left her without a second thought and began to date Lavender. She could never forget the hurt that had flashed through her whenever she used to see them together. She just couldn't find it in herself to hate Ron though. She didn't go out of her way to wish him well but she couldn't wish bad things for him. After all he used to be one of her best friends.
She remembered the night that he had sent her a letter to end things. She couldn't believe in a million years that he would be cowardly enough to try and end it in a letter. After throwing the letter into the fire that was shimmering in the hearth she had stormed up the boys stairs and into the seventh's dormitory. She had looked like an avenging angel. Harry confided later on that he had thought for a second that Hermione was going to kill poor Ron. Poor Ron indeed! She had given him whatfor when she had thrown the door open. She giggled slightly as she remembered him scuttling farther back against the headboard with a whimper. Apparently he had thought that she would be far too upset to want to talk to him face to face. She had given him quite a shock!
I would never wish bad things, but I don't wish you well
Could you tell, by the flames that burned your words
He had tried to owl her after that many times. She had burned every single letter before even opening them. A few months after they had left school he had finally given up in writing her all together. It had been almost a year since they had graduated and she had only begun talking to Ron about a month ago. They were still on unsteady grounds.
I never read your letter
'Cos I knew what you'd say
She had gotten so sick of his pathetic excuses that she had finally told him they could only be friends if he quit bringing it up. The pathetic prat! Every now and again he would try to apologize and they would stop speaking for a few days.
Give me that Sunday school answer
Try and make it all OK
(Six Months Later)
Hermione and Harry had finally married. They had kept off on telling the Weasley's about there engagement until about a month before the wedding. Mrs. Weasley had been very upset at, not only losing a chance at having Harry in the family, but also at planning a wedding for them. She would eventually get over it when Ginny told her that she was going to marry Draco Malfoy.
The new Mr. and Mrs. Potter's faces had been strewn across every newspaper in the British Isles. Everyone had wanted to tell the story of the Man-Who-Conquered getting married to his childhood friend and fellow war hero.
After she had been married to Harry for about a month Ron had shown up at her office trying to win her back. He had apologized, yet again and told her how much he had always loved her. She knew that he was only acting that way because she had ended up on all of the papers with Harry. He was simply jealous.
Does it hurt to know I'll never be there
Bet it sucks, to see my face everywhere
She turned Ron away every time. She loved Harry. Even if she had not all she would have had to remember was how Ron had ended things with her. She had been pitied for weeks after, and if she was honest, about a week before. Apparently she had been the last to know that he was cheating on her.
It was you, who chose to end it like you did
I was the last to know
You knew exactly what you would do
And don't say, you simply lost your way
She may believe you but I never will
Never again
Hermione heard the gossip spreading around her. She had suspected it for a while but had honestly thought that Ron was a better man than that. She had thought that Ron was in love with Lavender. Now she realized that he had chosen Lavender to be a trophy wife, plain and simple. He had never really loved her at all. She couldn't help but wonder if Lavender knew.
If she really knows the truth, she deserves you
A trophy wife, oh how cute
Ignorance is bliss
A surge of pity welled within her. True, the stroppy cow had slept with Ron when they were still together but no one deserved to be used. He would eventually tire of Lavender as he had of her but since they were married now there was no way out. In the wizarding world marriages were forever. There was no such thing as divorce.
But when your day comes, and he's through with you
And he'll be through with you
You'll die together but alone
Ron began writing to her again when he found out that she was pregnant. Who knows what he thought it would do but he wrote to her daily. She read them with Harry standing behind her, hands on her shoulders.
You wrote me in a letter
You couldn't say it right to my face
Give me that Sunday school answer
Repent yourself away
It was Christmas again. Harry and Hermione's second Christmas since they were married. She was about seven months pregnant and her stomach seemed to have no end. She was standing in the same spot that she had for the past two Christmases but this time Harry stood behind her with his hands on her belly. She smiled and leaned back into his chest, her hands joining his on the bulge her belly had become.
Out of the corner of her eye Hermione saw Ron staring at them longingly. She wasn't quite sure whether he missed their close friendship or if he was staring at her and regretting his decision in leaving her. Later that night she found the truth when he walked by and brushed his hand over her arse. That had led to a punch out between Ron and Harry.
Does it hurt to know I'll never be there
Bet it sucks, to see my face everywhere
It was you, who chose to end it like you did
I was the last to know
Ron had garnered everyone's sympathy with the exception of Ginny and Draco. He had said it was an accident. It always seemed to be an accident with Ron. First, cheating, then trying to grope her at dinner in front of her husband.
You knew exactly what you would do
And don't say, you simply lost your way
They may believe you but I never will
Never again
After that incident Harry and Hermione decided to cut off all communication between them and Ron. They still spoke with some of the Weasley's though most wanted them to befriend Ron again. Hermione had told her husband in no uncertain terms how uncomfortable she was around their old friend. Harry had decided then and there that they wouldn't be speaking with Ron any longer.
Never again will I hear you
Never again will I miss you
Never again will I fall to you
Never
One day, in Hermione's final month of pregnancy Ron had come to her office yet again and they had had a flaming row. She had made it quite clear that she loved Harry and wanted absolutely nothing to with Ron anymore. It took somewhere around fifteen minutes of screaming and throwing things before he realized how serious Hermione was and left.
Never again will I kiss you
Never again will I want to
Never again will I love you
Never
It took a couple of weeks before Ron stopped trying to owl or floo. Every time that he had attempted to floo into their home he had gotten a broken nose from Harry for the effort. Once even Hermione had punched him. Her hand had hurt horribly for a week after that. Harry had never been prouder of her. Or so he said.
Does it hurt to know I'll never be there
Bet it sucks, to see my face everywhere
It was you, who chose to end it like you did
I was the last to know
You knew exactly what you would do
And don't say, you simply lost your way
They may believe you but I never will
I never will
I never will
Harry and Hermione had many children. Each birth was announced in the papers with gusto. Harry had eventually taken a post as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Hermione took up the position of librarian. They lived in a small cottage near Hogsmeade for the rest of their days, quite happily Ron free.
Never again
Finis!!!!!
A/N: The song is Never Again by Kelly Clarkson. The characters and anything else familiar belongs to J.K. Rowling. The plot however is purely mine. I hope that you all enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Bria/gemin69