We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

Disclaimer and A/N: If it's familiar, I don't own it. If it's lyrics from "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" from Taylor Swift's new album, I don't own it. Written for HPFC Taylor Swift 'Red' Challenge. May be slightly AU and/or OOC and set just after Ron and Lavender split in HBP.

Ron's POV

"Won-Won!"

I groaned under my breath as I heard my on-again, off-again girlfriend of five months, Lavender Brown, using my so-called "cute little nickname." I despised that nickname, and she knew it. However, I don't think she really cared.

"Won-Won! Come here, Won-Won." Lavender said, and most of the other guys in the common room sniggered as I made my way over to her.

"Actually, Lav, can we talk later? As in, after we've both had a bit to eat?" I asked.

She lets a look of worry cross her face -not for long, but long enough for me to notice it- before returning to her usual smiling face. "Oh, all right. Meet me in the Room of Requirement in an hour or so?"

I nodded before giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. "All right."

She grins and jumps off the couch to head back to her dormitory. I sit there for a moment, admiring her perfect pale brown curls that spill to the small of her back as well as certain…other aspects…of Lavender's backside before heading up to my dorm looking for the one other boy I knew well who'd been in this situation before. Luckily, he was not only the one boy remaining but he was also still sleeping when I got up there.

"Seamus!" I yell before chucking one of Harry's trainers at his head, just barely missing it.

He wakes up with a start. "Weasley, you git, how many time do I need to tell you that you don't need to throw things at my head to wake me up?"

"Sorry, Seamus, I just need to ask you for advice."

"Oh?" the sandy-haired boy raises an eyebrow.

Before I can stop myself, I blurt out my next three words. "It's about Lavender."

"Oh-ho!" He grins a very devilish grin. "So you two had a little talk about certain aspects of your relationship, if you're following me here..."

"What?! NO! Don't be a prat, Finnigan. I was going to ask the best way to break things off with her."

His expression softens here. "Oh."

"Yes. And seeing as you're the only other Gryffindor I know that's dated her, I need your help."

He sighs. "Oh, all right. Now here's what you do…"

Lavender's POV

When Ron said he wanted to talk, I was nervous. I've learned from the past few dozen boys I've been in relationships with that when he wants to talk, it won't end well.

So after that little chat in the common room, I run up the steps to my dorm where my best friend, Parvati Patil, is waiting to hear how things went. Before she asks, I speak up.

"He wants to talk, Parvati." I say.

The smile on her face disappears. "Oh. So it didn't go well?"

"Well," I state, "it could've gone worse. Could've been better, too, though. I'm meeting him in the Room of Requirement in-" I glance at the grandfather clock by the door. "-fifty minutes or so."

Parvati gasps. "Well, why didn't you say that? We need to get your hair, makeup, clothes, accessories-"

"Hey, Parv? As much as I appreciate the effort you want to put into this, I want to keep it simple. I want to look as much like my natural self as possible for this." I say as I interrupt her rambling.

She nods. "I see. You sure?"

"Of course, Parv."

She grabs my favorite lavender cardigan, a white shirt, and my favorite jeans with the hole at the knee. I locate my mother's locket and a pair of simple black flats. Fifteen minutes later, I'm dressed and ready to go.

"Remember, Lav, if you need me to come kick his arse for you, I will, all right?'

I smile. "Of course you can."

Then, I leave the dorm and head off to the Room of Requirement with twenty-five minutes to spare.

Ron's POV

"…and that's how to best break things off with a bird that fancies you." Seamus wraps up his half-hour lesson on relationship endings.

"All right, thanks, Seamus." I say. I look at my watch. "Good Godric, I've got to go. Fifteen minutes until we need to meet and it's a ten minute-walk there…"

"Good luck, Ron!" Seamus calls out as I dash out of the room.

I bump into Harry and Hermione in the common room. "Sorry, guys. Got to go meet Lavender in a few. See you in a bit."

They nod and let me on my way. On the way out of the portrait hole, I trip and land on my face. I come up swearing, and I hear some first years giggling. I glare at them and they scurry on their way.

Halfway there, I run into Neville. "Hey Ron." he says. "Have you seen Luna lately?"

I shake my head. "No, but have you seen Lavender? We're meeting up in about five minutes, so I was curious to see if you've seen here in the last hour or so."

Neville nods. "She looked like she was headed towards the Room of Requirement, about…twenty minutes ago?"

"Thanks, Neville. See you in a bit." He nods as we part and I run at nearly full speed towards the corridor.

"No running in the corridor, Weasley. Five points from Gryffindor!" Malfoy, being the git he is, yells at me. I make a rude hand gesture at him as I run even faster now to the corridor.

I reach the corridor, panting, with my hands on my knees. I walk around the corridor thinking up every variation of I need to see Lavender Brown… that I can before the stupid door appears, ten minutes after our scheduled meeting time.

I open the door and walk in.

Lavender's POV

Finally, nearly fifteen minutes after we said we'd meet, Ron walks in the door. It doesn't bother me that he's late, but I'm still a bit annoyed because this is a perpetual thing- my being on time and his showing up late.

"Sorry, Lav. Kept running into people I knew in the corridors." he said.

I sigh. "It's all right, Ron. "

His face flushes bright red, a color that clashes horribly with his shaggy orange hair. "Still."

"So what did you want to talk about?" I ask him.

He opens his mouth and starts to talk, and that's when the trouble begins.

Ron's POV

"Lav, you're an amazing person, and one of the most thoughtful and kind people I've met in my time here at Hogwarts. You deserve nothing less than pure affection, love, and kindness from a lucky man someday." I say. Then I pause, trying to figure out what I need to say next.

"Go on, Ron." She says.

"But Lav, as much as you want me to be that man, I can't be him. I can't love you the way you need, I can't show you affection the way you need, and I can't be the one strong enough to hold you up. I don't know if I'll always be there to comfort you, cherish you, and catch you when you fall. I'm sorry."

She lets what I've just said sink in for a moment. Then, she gives me a disbelieving look and I can see tears forming in the corners of her beautiful brown eyes.

"So you're breaking up with me?"

All I can do is nod. She goes on.

"So we are never getting back together? Like, ever?"

"Sorry, Lav. I hate to do this to you, but we are never ever getting back together."

She gives me a wobbly smile. "Can we at least try to be friends?"

"We can try, Lav, but no guarantees, alright?" I say.

She gives me one last hug. "All right."

As I let her go, I say, "I'm sorry it had to end this way, Lav."

"In part of my heart, I'll always love you, Ron." she says.

"I think a bit of me will always love you too, Lav." I say.

She is the first to leave. Then, I am left with nothing but a few tears of my own.

Please take the time to R&R and thanks for reading!