It was true, then, what they said about newlyweds- she was glowing as she walked into the Diagon Alley coffee shop. He puzzled over this- she'd always hated winter, until now… until him. The irony, of course, was not lost on Ron. He snorted as he recalled that until recently, she'd also hated… well, no matter. She'd seen him now, and was weaving her way through the crowded shop. He sat in the same manner as he'd sat since eight that morning, grumpily nursing a cup of black coffee and glaring into the distance.

"Hi, Ron!" She was perky. Fantastic. He'd never much liked how she looked with a tan. He much preferred her naturally pale, as though she'd spent yet another night without sleep in the library. That was the Hermione he knew. This tan, happy creature was unfamiliar and unwelcome. The woman in front of Ron was no longer Ron's; she was his, an unnatural and spooky species. An encounter with her was just marginally preferable to an encounter with a thestral-headed blast-ended skrewt.

"Hi."

"Well, goodness, Ron, don't get too terribly excited to see me! I mean, it's only been a month and a half!" she snapped. He smiled. One sullen remark from him and she automatically reverted to Hogwarts Hermione, her true self. That part of her still belonged to Ron, never mind the expensive-looking Muggle sweater and pants, or the hair that, while still unruly, managed to give off an air of sophisticated nonchalance. "Sorry. I've been getting better at holding my temper, mostly out of necessity. My husband…" Here she broke off, grinning. "He's not the easiest person to get along with. In fact, most days I have to control my urges to just Avada Kedavra him and be done with it."

"Then why bother?" It was the question that had bothered him since the day she'd told him- warned him, really. He'd been dying to know, but Ginny kept telling him not to ask, it was rude and also None Of His Business.

"He's kind and smart and funny," she hissed. Her eyes flashed dangerously. "And I love him!" She realized what she'd done. "Oops. Temper again. Sorry. I really am trying. But I do. Love him, I mean. He's so sweet, and he's good for me, he really is." She struggled, but couldn't stop the smile from sliding back onto her face.

That was all he could take. Ron stood up and took long, angry strides out of the shop without a word. He didn't turn around once, not even when she called out after him. "Ron! Ron? Where are you going?" He pushed open the glass door and stormed down the street, blasting things out of his way and not caring who saw.

She caught up to him after about a block. "What the hell are you thinking? Oh- you're not! Just mindlessly destroying, as always. Honestly! And what were you doing, walking out on me? Not a word, Ron! What was that?"

"You were supposed to be with me, Hermione! Not him. No one knows you like me, especially not him. He'll never understand like I do, he'll never love you like I do!"

Instead of yelling back, she was quiet and calm. "Well, obviously he knows me better, because he understands that I've chosen him and not you. You don't love me, Ron. You never have. If you truly loved me, you would be happy for me." She turned away.

"Hermione! Wait!" He grabbed her wrist in desperation.

Her expression was pained. There were tears in her eyes. "Ron. Please just let go." Instantly, one of the peacekeeping officers patrolling the Alley appeared next to them.

"Are you alright? Is he bothering you, Mrs. Malfoy?" She nodded. Ron's grip went slack and she walked away with the man, not looking back.

He stared after her, motionless. It was the first time he'd heard it aloud, and the message finally sank in. Mrs. Malfoy. His heart shattered.