Making It Work
Disclaimer: I own nothing…it all belongs to Jo!
Ron took a swig of his butterbeer . I need something stronger. Across the table from him his best mate was shaking his head adamantly.
"You've got to be wrong, Ron."
"I know what I saw Harry. She told me she couldn't make lunch, but there she was at a table with him…that handsome bloke from her office. And he was leering at her, and he was touching her. Damn!" Ron's fist clenched around the now crumpled napkin in his hand.
"But…no way. Forget it, Ron. This is Hermione; she would never cheat on you. I mean, she stayed with me during the Horocrux Hunt despite any doubts…despite you leaving." Across the table Ron winced but declined to comment.
"So?"
"SO…Hermione is painfully honest, and loyal to a hilt. She would not cheat on you…you know this. I mean, maybe she was working…maybe it was a working lunch…you said the guy works in her office."
"Maybe," Ron grumbled.
Harry sighed, exasperated. "Well, why didn't you just ask her? Why all the drama?"
Ron shrugged, but then relented. With sheepish eyes at Harry he replied, "Suppose I was afraid of the answer."
"Ron," Harry said gently. " I think I know how you feel about Hermione. You love her, don't you?"
Ron nodded fervently. He was not ashamed about his feelings for Hermione. "Course I do. We've been through hell together."
"But…I mean when is the last time you saw her, spent time together? I know how busy you are and I admire the hell out of you for all you are doing…helping George with the shop, training to be an Auror, and babysitting me when Gin isn't around--don't think I don't know that's what you're doing!" Harry insisted before Ron could interrupt. "I know, Ron and I appreciate it, but do you think, well, maybe Hermione may be feeling a bit…neglected?"
Ron looked at Harry thoughtfully. How long had it been since we've been alone? Good Merlin, has it really been almost three weeks. Oh Jesus, that was the night at her flat…we almost… and I was so exhausted form working all day in the shop, and auror training that I…. Damn, I fell asleep waiting for her on the couch. She looked so hurt…we really never resolved it. Next few times I saw her it was at the Burrow or at Ginny's Quidditch game she seemed distant! Shit!
Ron stood up abruptly. "I've got to go."
"Ron, I think that's a really good idea."
"Thanks, mate! Tell Ginny the game was brilliant, as usual." Ron turned on the spot and Apparated with a POP.
Hermione let herself sink into the warm fragrant bubbles. She was engulfed in warn water to just below her chin. She loved bubble baths…they were her secret pleasure. She had a drawer full of different soaps and scented oils. If there was on thing she missed the most about Hogwarts…she smiled to herself. Everyone who knew her would guess , of course, it was the library, but it in fact was the Prefect's Bath. Hermione had spent hours in there (under the guise of being in the library) relaxing, worrying over Harry, and fantasizing over a certain red-haired git who was the star of her teenage hormone-driven fantasies. He still was, actually, even if he didn't share the same enthusiasm. Trouble was, lately, he wasn't the only star.
Ethan Garret worked with Hermione at the Department for the Welfare of Magical Creatures. It used to be called the Department of the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures. She had been successful in changing the name in her first few months working as an advocate and liaison. She wasn't naïve. She knew her relationship with Harry and the Minister's outright affection for all three of them had a lot to do with her success. That did not matter, though, in the end,. She was working for the benefit of magical creatures, not her own ego.
It was just the sort of thing Ethan loved to tease her about. He agreed with Hermione mostly, although he was a bit more conservative in his actions and words, but still he was her best support and most respected colleague at the Department. He had been the one assigned to train her , and she had been aware of his admiring gaze and flirty banter from the get go. It was flattering and all in good fun. She was truly and completely in love with Ron Wesley, however, and Ethan rarely crossed her mind once she left the office.
It seemed though as the months wore on that Ron' s life was becoming particularly crowded, and not much room was left for her. She was trying to be patient and understanding, not to mention supportive and proud. He was, after all, taking care of Harry, supporting Ginny in her new Quidditch career, helping George rebuild the business without Fred, and training to be an Auror. She was proud of him, but she also missed him dreadfully.
It wasn't just the lack of time, Hermione decided as she smoothed the fragrant foam up her shapely legs before lowering them back in to the warm water. They were so…disconnected. Hermione was very passionate about her work, as much as Ron and Harry were about their training. She felt she listened endlessly to their stories. They, however, seemed to fall into a daze when she tried to talk about her work. It was maddening…almost as if they didn't respect what she was doing. When she shared this with Ron, he had apologized profusely, and tried to listen, but in the end he simply didn't have much to say, and frankly, he didn't always agree with Hermione, which just served to cause a row. So, she talked to Ron less and less about her work, and more and more to Ethan. They had begun to share coffee after work, or get together on a Saturday morning for a project or two. It was nice to be listened to, to be with someone, instead of waiting at home to see if Ron remembered to send a Good Night Owl. She knew she was not in love with Ethan. She loved Ron, and she knew he loved her. But lately she was wondering, is that enough?
After the war, Ron and Hermione had just fallen in step together. It was natural really. They had ,after all, been almost constantly together for an entire year, in the midst of a war, no less. She had stood by his side as they buried Fred, Tonks, and Lupin, and memorialized the fifty others who had died. He and Harry had gone with her to retrieve her parents, and helped them to re-establish their lives. She had supported Ron whole heartedly on his decision to become an Auror. Harry and Ron had been invited into the academy personally by Minster Shakelbolt in lieu of Newts. Hermione had also received an invitation, but had declined to pursue in own interests, taking her Newts and achieving a history making 14, after three months of independent study. Ron had also decided to work at the shop with George. It was, after all, him alone that convinced George not to give up the business, that it was not what Fred would have wanted, or done himself. Lee was also helping out when Ron could not ,and the shop slowly but surely was becoming a success again.
The trouble was that all this didn't really leave a lot of time for a relationship. There were plenty of stolen kisses, and Ron was never shy about telling her he loved her, but things really hadn't progressed much beyond that. Frankly, Hermione believed Ron had been further with Lavender Brown than he had been with her. The thought troubled her greatly, and she decided it was time to move forward. Maybe a physical relationship would spark Ron's interest, and motivate him to make more time for her. Intellectually, Hermione knew this thinking was wrong, but emotionally, she hungered for Ron and was desperate for him to be in her life. She was more than ready to have him in her bed.
So, she had planned a romantic seduction at her flat. She'd ushered a surprised Ron into her flat an evening a few weeks prior. She had set up quite a seduction scene with music, champagne, strawberries, and a roaring fire. She'd insisted Ron lay down and had spent several minutes giving him a wonderful massage with candlelight and scented oil. Then she whispered in his ear, "Wait for me…I want to change for you." Ron had looked nervous as she'd gone to slip into a red silk negligee that she'd purchased for the evening. She was nervous too. But when she returned….
Ron had moved to the couch, and he had fallen sleep-- drool, loud snores, and all. He fell asleep. Yes, he was just dying of anticipation, Hermione. Could a man want a woman any less? She had shaken him awake, and he had tried to apologize. But, timing had never been on Ron and Hermione's side. He received urgent owl form the Auror Department, and had to leave straight away.
She had only seen him a few times after that. She knew she had been aloof, but her feelings had been seriously hurt, and she was angered by Ron's apparent decision to ignore that the night has even happened. In fact, as of today, she'd seen Ron just twice more in the last four weeks. Once, a tense evening at Ginny's game where he'd made sure they were seated next to Mrs. Weasley for the duration of the game and the Sunday after at the Burrow where he successfully ignored her with a kiss on the cheek and a Quidditch game with his brothers.
So, Hermione had come to the conclusion, albeit painfully, that Ron did love her, but was not attracted to her in the least. She had even shared this hypothesis with Ethan, after he'd found her crying inconsolably in her office the next day.
"Hermione, I was wondering if you--" Ethan paused, realizing Hermione wasn't at her desk, but instead huddled on the sofa in a crying heap.
"What the hell? Hermione, Love, what is it?"
Hermione looked up, rubbing her eyes profusely. "Oh, Ethan! I must have forgotten to lock the door--" She began to cry again in earnest, not resisting Ethan's arms as they encircled her.
"Tell me what happened, Hermione." Ethan insisted gently. She shook her head.
"Please."
"Oh, Ethan!"
And just like that the story had spilled. Ron's lack of time for her, the feeling of being left out, neglected, a even her failed attempt at seduction. When she finished she was surprised to see that Ethan looked a little bit angry.
"Okay, listen up. Firstly, any man who has you and does not want you is an utter fool. Secondly, giving yourself to a man to make a relationship work is a very bad idea. You know this, Hermione. Ron needs to earn the right to have you, and frankly, I don't think has! You deserve someone who…knows how special you are, how incredibly beautiful, and sexy…" Ethan's gaze shifted to her lips. Hermione could feel him move closer, and her heart sped up. A tap on the window broke them apart. Hermione disentangled herself from Ethan's embrace to let Pig inside. She detached the letter form his leg and read it quickly.
\
Thinking of you
Love, Ron
Hermione's tears stared again, and she handed the letter to Ethan. "He loves me Ethan. I know he does."
Ethan stood up, and nodded. "I just wish…I wish he wouldn't make you cry.. I'd never make you cry."
He had left without another word, not mentioning Ron or the almost kiss again.
Was Ethan the better choice? Did Ron want the life Hermione wanted? More importantly, how long could she be with Ron and be on the bottom of his priority list?
A knock at the door startled her. Reluctantly, she dragged herself from he warm water, and threw on her red silk robe. It clung to her wet skin like a glove, outlining every curse. "Hold on! I'm coming!" Probably Mum…
"Ron! What--?"
Ron's eyed roamed hungrily over her wet form, taking in the pebbled nipples under the red silk. He yanked his eyes back up to her face.
"Hermione, we need to talk." He pushed past her into the flat, leaving her stomach in knots.
