Little thing that pretty much inspired this whole story - In one moment, so much can change. You look at your life one day, and you're happy with it – it might not be the same the next day. It's not that you wake up and are suddenly not happy. It's just that one day, you realize you could be happier. And that's when you think of all the things you compromised on, it's when you think of the feelings you've shoved aside, all the dreams you've given up. All in favor of reality – because no one is ever perfectly happy with their life anymore, they just think it's reality and that it won't ever change – that fairytales don't come true. But you should remember – the fairytales they tell now – they weren't always fairytales. Once, they too, were reality.

Chapter 1: In a Moment

She knows it's the right thing to do, for both of them. She knows she can't go on like this. She knows she has to do it. But it's so much easier to just stay in this spot that she's found herself in. She also knows that she used to be happy, or at least she thought she was. Most of the time. She knows he thinks that everything is perfect between them. And she knows, desperately knows, that nothing is going to change. Unless she changes everything. She wants to, needs to, knows she should, and yet it's been two months and she still hasn't done it. She's tried to tell herself that it'll change, that he'll change. She's tried to make things better, tried to tell him everything isn't perfect. But he won't change, and he won't listen, and she knows all this. But she also knows that once it's out there, that she can't take it back. She knows that it'll change everything, it'll change every aspect of her life. She'll have to move, her friends might choose, and she's unsure about who they'll choose. She'll be able to work harder, she'll have time to herself, and she thinks she could be happy. At least, happier than she is now. He'll be home in an hour, even though everyone at his office has left already, and she knows it'll be easier if she has everything ready for this life-changing event. And she knows, reviewing everything in her head, it's for the best.

flashback

He was supposed to be home hours ago. He must have forgotten that they had reservations, or actually, re-reservations after he forgot the last time too, and he's probably still at work. And she remembers the last time, the fight they had when he arrived home two hours after the reservation, remembers what he had said. She remembers screaming at him, remembers how he yelled back. She remembers the words so clearly, she can still hear them ringing in her mind. But most of all, she remembers crying in her bed that night, quietly, so that he wouldn't hear from his room. She remembers being so glad she's waiting until her wedding night, because she'd have hated to have him beside her then.

She remembers being so disappointed when he doesn't want to meet her family. After all, she meets with his mum everyday Thursday for lunch and tea. So why won't he visit her parents? She remembers asking him if it was because they were muggles. He just laughed it off, but she knew that she was right when she spotted the faint blush across his pale cheeks. She remembers telling herself that night, over and over, that she loves him, and that that's enough. But most of all, she remembers the morning after, in the daylight, when she realized that sometimes, love isn't enough. She becomes a tad more cynical after that fight.

She remembers that he likes dinner on the table when he comes home, cause his mother always had everything perfect when he was little. She remembers the fight they have when he comes home and supper isn't even on the stove yet. She remembers how angry and upset and hurt she gets when he won't even listen to her. And she remembers how she lets the anger cover everything else, cause she's had a bad day, and she's just found out that one of her cousins died, and she's not even feeling that well. But he won't listen, and she can't find the strength to yell tonight, so she ends up storming to her room and crying quietly again, thinking about how nothing is how she'd thought it'd be. After that fight, she becomes a bit more hardened, because he won't be there to cry on.

The charity they were attending was for a good cause, she remembers that. She left work early that day so that she could get ready, so that she could make herself glamorous, if only for a little while. She remembers crying when she brushes her hair, because it hurts so much. She remembers wincing every time she uses those damned tweezers. As she slips the beautiful dress on, she's reminded of the fight they had over the price of it, and she remembers the sigh that escapes her lips when she realizes the dress will be forever tainted with that memory, and it will never be beautiful to her again. She remembers that he didn't say one word to her about how she looked, or the dress, or anything at all about all the effort she put in to look this wonderful. He does, however, ask her to keep quiet for the most part, because he knows how she gets stuck on her "causes" and tonight is supposed to be all about "light conversation between business associates." She remembers smiling at his friends, remembers keeping quiet, because she loves him, after all. But most of all, she remembers sneaking away from him to cry silently in the ladies' room. After that night, she becomes a tad more resentful.

She'd finally convinced him to go see a film with her, and she's so excited. She can tell he's apprehensive, but she doesn't say anything, because she knows how he'd just deny it and possibly get angry. She'd gotten some muggle money from her parents, because it was just such a hassle to go to Gringott's and have money exchanged. She remembers being sure not to tell him this, because she isn't sure of how he'll react, and she's so tired of always fighting over the stupidest things. She remembers being saddened when he doesn't like the film. She remembers being angry that when they get home, he mentions something about how the people in the movie weren't married and they had sex, and why couldn't she just get over it? She remembers wanting to smack him in her anger. She remembers forgiving him the next day when he brings her breakfast in bed, even if it is too early to be up, because he has to go into work early. But most of all, she remembers him making fun of the promise ring her father gave her. And after that, she becomes a tad more religious and starts to go to church with her parents on Sundays again.

They'd just decided to move in together, and they were looking for apartments that weren't too expensive. Their first apartment had been small, and she remembers how he told her there wouldn't be enough room for all her books. She remembers how sad she was, because she loves her books, but she agrees that he's right, that the apartment is too small to have all of them there. She remembers how her parents came over in the afternoon and helped her move all her books into their house again, cause they love her, and they love books, and they'll do anything for their baby. She remembers how crazy she went when she didn't have anything to read. She remembers how, months later, when they move into a bigger apartment and there is enough space for at least some of her books, he asks her if they could just stay at her parent's house, because he doesn't want books to clutter everything in their new apartment. She remembers reluctantly saying yes, that the books would stay at her parent's house. But most of all, she remembers coming home one night to find three shelves up in the living room, stacked full of his comic books and awards from work. After that 2nd apartment, she becomes just a little bit more obsessed with her books.

It's their 2nd anniversary, and she's so surprised and happy when he actually remembers and she's even happier when he pulls out a black jewelry box. She thinks that maybe things will get better now, that maybe he'll spend more time with her, and maybe they'll be happier. She remembers never loving him more than when she opens the box to find a beautiful ruby necklace, even though she loves emeralds best. It fits her just perfectly, and he insists that she change into something red or black so that she can wear it when they go to dinner in an hour. And because she's so thrilled with him and filled with hope for their next year of being together, she does, even though she'd searched for hours and hours to find this perfect green dress that compliments her skin. She remembers giggling with Ginny when she visits and tells her all about the wonderful time they had and how she didn't expect anything even close to that. But most of all, she remembers living on a cloud for the next week and then crashing down to earth painfully when she goes to his office to surprise him for lunch and hears him talking to a colleague about how he'd certainly shown up Herton, because he'd only been able to get his wife a small gold bracelet. After that, she begins to hate rubies.

It's almost a year later and work is going great for both of them. She thinks she might get promoted soon, and she's so happy about it she can't wait to tell him. She remembers telling him, but he's so focused on the work that he's brought home with him that he hardly notices and then when he finally does look up, she remembers what a strange face he had when he said he wanted to talk. She remembers listening to him go on and on about the office and about how he's making enough money now for them to really be happy, and then she remembers the horror she felt as he told he wanted her to quit her job. He didn't get that she enjoyed her work, and he couldn't understand why she feels the need to make her own money, because he's making enough for both of them. She remembers thinking that he'd always been obsessed with money, but this just went a little but too far. She remembers screaming at him that she'd never quit and that he couldn't make her. She remembers how angry he got and she remembers going to spend a few days with her parents because she was just so tired of yelling about the same thing. But most of all, she remembers crying in her old bedroom when she comes to the realization that she's not in love with him. After that horrid fight, she remembers staying up late into the night, wondering if she was ever really in love, and crying some more after coming to the conclusion that she never was.

end flashback

When she receives an owl telling her he'll be home in another hour, all she can think is how appropriate it is. And because she's got everything all packed up, she owls her mum and waits for a response. She gets one in less that twenty minutes, and she puts all her boxes by the door to be ready to go when her parents get there with their car. Ten minutes later, they're there and she knows they must have sped through all those residential streets and it's all she can do to not cry when her mother tells her she's doing the right thing. She thinks she's never loved her parents more than in this moment, because they're both so supportive even though they didn't want her to move in with him before they got married. And they never once say, "I told you so" to her and she's so grateful. In twenty minutes, they have the car loaded and she tells them to go ahead, that she'll floo home as soon as she talks to him. Her mother hugs her and makes sure she's okay before leaving. And she knows that they'll be speeding back home, just to make sure everything in her old bedroom is ready for her when she arrives. She's thinking about how much they must love her and how lucky she is to have them when he gets home.

And at first he doesn't notice anything is different, and he just dumps everything in the chair by the door like he always does. She's amazed when all he does is ask her if she's changed things around, cause something looks different. She sighs and can't even manage a smile; cause he has no idea what is coming.

She told him she needed to talk to him and made him sit in the living room with her so she could do it before he did anything else. She knows she has to do it, she knows she wants to, and it's still so hard for her to do it, mostly because he's just so clueless and she knows that this will come as a shock to him. It's ten minutes before she can even get a semblance of the words she wants to use and she can see that he's anxious to do what he always does when he comes home, so she tries to hurry herself along. She takes one long look at his pale face, his sharp features, his long legs and arms, and tries to call up some of the "love" that she felt for him and she just can't. His face blurs with her tears and she hears herself speak.

"I'm leaving. This isn't working. I'm not happy. It's for the best. I've collected everything that's mine, and I've taken care of next months' rent. I'm breaking up with you, and I'm sorry I couldn't love you. I'm sorry you couldn't give me what I need, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to realize all this. I know this is the right thing to do. Goodbye, Ron."

She can't look at his speechless face and she apparates with tears streaming down her face because she's sure she'd get streaks of ash down her face if she were to floo in this condition. She crumples on the couch and a second later she's in her mother's arms and even though she's crying, she knows that this is right. She knows she wants this. And she knows that this'll be the last time she cries because of him.

Well, this is the first chapter of my new story. Just a warning, this story will most likely be pretty long. This chapter was basically just about Hermione's relationship with Ron, and it won't be the last mention of it, either. Saying that, I'd like to reassure you readers that this is indeed a Draco/Hermione fic. It's just going to be a very progressive one. So you are officially warned. I'd like to thank you guys in advance for reading and (hopefully) leaving a review, good or bad.

Dizzy

p.s. just as a thing of curiosity, could you tell me who you thought she was with before you knew it was Ron? thanks bunches!