AN: Just a little story plunny I have had bouncing around for awhile. It's inspired by the song The way I loved you by Taylor Swift. It might end up being a two shot I've not decided. Hope you enjoy it! As always a huge thank you to my fantastic Beta reader DarkNorseLady
Disclaimer: All canon character, plots, and situations from the Harry Potter series belong to JK Rowling. I am not profiting from this work.
The way I loved you
Hermione brought the wine glass to her lips and greedily drank the red liquid. She needed something stronger, but didn't want to risk the disapproving looks from her mother. Setting the glass back down, she scanned the room for her boyfriend. Remus wasn't difficult to find, as she predicted he was deep in conversation with her father and his friends. She was just about to chug the remainder of her wine, when a presence next to her caught her attention.
"Are you enjoying the party dear?" Hermione gave a non committal hum and mother followed her line of sight and smiled. "Oh, Remus is just darling, isn't he? Your father is rather found of him. In fact he said just last night 'If I have to share my little girl with anyone, I'm glad it's him' Not that he'd ever admit to saying it."
"Yes, Remus is everything one could ask for in a boyfriend. Ginny and Pansy have been going on about how I've got the only true gentleman left in the country"
"Much better than that other boy if I may say so," Hermione turned her head so her mother didn't see her roll her eyes. "I'm so glad you grew out of that phase. That boy was a terrible influence and would have done nothing but hurt you in the end. There was no future with him, Remus on the other hand is a nice, safe choice." Hermione's mother patted her hand softly as she spoke.
"Mm. Yes, he's the safe choice. If you'll excuse me I need a little air." Hermione stood and exited to the Granger's backyard without waiting for a response.
Once outside Hermione walked to the large tree and pulled a small bottle of whiskey from where she'd hidden it earlier in the night. Settling herself on a stone bench, out of direct view from the house, Hermione took the top off of the bottle and took a large drink. The cool September air caused goosebumps in her arms, but the whiskey was warming her from the inside out.
In the quiet times like these Hermione couldn't help but think about him. He was all that was on her mind nowadays. Taking another large drink she let her mind drift back to when they first met.
Hermione sheepishly walked into the auto body shop. After they had towed her car, she had received a call and the mechanic insisted she come down to discuss the problems. Approaching the front desk, Hermione lost all sense of what to say. Behind the desk was the most attractive man she had ever seen. After a minute of staring at him like she was daft, she managed a few words.
"Um. I'm Hermione Granger, I was asked to come down and discuss my car." Seeing the amusement in his eyes made her skin flush.
"Yes, Miss Granger, my name is Fenrir. I've been working on your car all morning, you've done a real number on that car. Do you make is a habit to ignore the warning lights?" Hermione just bit her lip and blushed deeper, causing a deep chuckle from the man. "I'll take that as a yes. Bad habit to get into, there is so much wrong with your car it's almost not worth fixing. I actually asked you to come in to suggest you forget about it and just buy a new one. But I'll tell you what, agree to have a drink with me and I'll give you a discount." She laughed when he winked at her and quickly agreed to join him for a drink that night.
Once the bottle was gone, and Hermione felt a little light headed she laid back on the bench looking up at the stars. It's crazy, agreeing to have one drink with him led to so much. One drink led to two, then to three and some heavy snogging, and before she knew it she'd been seeing him for nearly a year and she had more clothes at his flat than in her own bedroom. Her parents didn't approve of him from the beginning of course, convinced he was going to corrupt their precious daughter. She snorted at the thought.
Things with Fenrir were never boring. He was just as opinionated as her, and could hold a grudge with the best of them. Sometimes it felt like they were on a roller coaster that was constantly coming to a peak, before plummeting them towards their death.
At the end, the time between their fights became nearly non existent, and it seemed like they always fought about the same topic, their future. If I had known that night was different I wouldn't have pushed so hard. I wouldn't have walked away. Hermione's mother had been all too happy to hear that her daughter had left him for good. However, she didn't understand the two weeks Hermione spent mourning the loss of the future she had planned with Fenrir.
At the beginning of the third week Mrs. Granger had informed her daughter it was time to let go of what wasn't meant to be, and she had set her up with a nice guy that Friday. Remus had been everything 16 year old Hermione would have hoped for. He was quite fit, and extremely respectful. He was always on time to pick her up, and never bothered her when she would prefer to read than talk, he was rather bookish himself. In the four months since their first date he had met nearly every important person in her life, and they all loved him. Hermione should have been thrilled at the prospect of a future with him. The only problem was he wasn't Fenrir. Closing her eyes, she let her and Fenrir's last fight play back like a movie.
Hermione was curled into Fenrir's side as they watched a romantic comedy, her choice, in the living room of his flat. The previous scene had the male protagonist declare his love to his childhood friend in front of both of their families, including her fiance.
"My mother would have a heart attack if you did that at our family dinner," she smiled when he looked down at her, eyebrow raised.
"That's because your mother hates me."
"Well it's a good thing I don't care then, isn't it," she leaned up and kissed his jaw. He pulled away slightly and looked down at her.
"I know you don't, but I do. How are we supposed to have a future if your family doesn't want me around?"
"Either they'll learn to accept you, or we won't go around. It's that simple" Hermione shrugged. This was a conversation they had had many times, and her position never wavered. "I intend to marry you one day regardless of what they say."
"That'll never happen Hermione. We've talked about this, I won't marry you without their approval. I won't risk your relationship with your family."
"Seriously Fenrir? Are you still on about this relationship with my family shit? If they can't accept you I don't need them." Hermione stood and crossed her arms, staring down at the man.
"You don't understand Hermione, I know what it's like to have family turn their back on you. I would never wish that on you, and I refuse to be the cause of it."
"Damn it Fen. You wouldn't be the cause, don't you understand? It would be their fault for not accepting MY choice." Hermione was pinching the bridge of her nose and pacing back and forth in front of the couch. "If you won't marry me without their approval, then we will never be married. My parents never approve of us. If our future is based on them, then we have no future."
"What is so wrong with me that you don't believe I could ever win your parent's approval?" Hermione realized she had clearly struck a cord when the large man was instantly on his feet, his eyes blazing with fury.
"Fen that's not what I meant and you know it." She sighed, preparing herself for the argument that had been happening more and more frequently.
"No I don't know it Hermione. What the fuck else am I supposed to think? My girlfriend doesn't have faith that I can ever change her parent's minds. If that's how you really feel Hermione, then you are right. We have no future, and you might as well leave now." Fenrir walked to the door and swung it open, before leaving he turned back to her, "I expect you and your things to be gone when I get back. Just leave your key on the table."
The door slammed before Hermione could formulate a reply. She moved to the bedroom, and had begun packing her things before she let the tears start, but once they started she couldn't stop them. She was soon packed and had laid the key on the table before leaving his flat for what she hoped wasn't the last time.
Hearing the back door open, Hermione sat up and wiped away her tears. She then kicked the empty whiskey bottle under the bush that was behind the bench. A few seconds later she felt a jacket draped over she shoulders. She murmured a quiet 'Thank you' before looking up into the concerned eyes of Remus Lupin. Moving over she gestured for him to take a seat next to her.
"Hermione, something is bothering you, would you like to talk about it?" She shook her head in reply, and Remus ran a hair through his already messy light brown hair. "Look, I know this isn't a great time, but I have been putting this off for too long. Can I talk to you about something important?" Making eye contact with Remus, Hermione bit her lip before nodding. "Well we've been seeing each other for a few months now, and I really like you-"
"Wait Remus I need to tell you something before you continue," She raised a hand cutting him off, and stared at the ground, willing herself not to cry. "I really don't think this is working. As cliche as it sounds it's not you, it's me. You are everything a girl could hope for in a boyfriend, I'm just not over my ex. The more I think about it, I don't want to be over him." Hermione chanced a glance up at Remus and was taken aback by the huge smile on his face.
"Thank God," he breathed, clearly relieved. "I was going to say you are a great girl, but there is this bloke that I have known since I was 11. I think I am in love with him."
"Well, that's great Remus. I hope you and him work out," She gave him a sad smile.
"You know Hermione, if you miss him you should go tell him. Bugger what your parents think," Hermione chuckled when Remus winked at her. "But for now let's get you out of here before your mother realizes you drank a bottle of whiskey in your backyard. You can stay at my flat tonight." He smirked and pick the bottle up from her hiding spot when she looked at him surprised. "Just let me do the talking when we get inside, your mother loves me after all." He winked again and helped her to her feet.
For the first time in months Hermione felt a little bit of hope. Remus really is a great guy, I hope we can remain friends. Hermione mentally prepared herself to go inside and face her mother, and tried not to think about the fact that in the morning she was going to go and face Fenrir for the first time in nearly 5 months.
