Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
A\N:- text in italics represents thought.
"Now that was a strange dream" gasped the freckly red head man as he woke up from the strange dream, sweating like hell.
Sensing him awake, his beautiful brunette wife woke up. "Ron? Are you OK?" She asked him.
"Just had a strange dream." Ron replied.
"What? What did you see?"
"I'll tell you in the morning. Now sleep Hermione. You've had a difficult day at work and you need rest."
"OK" Hermione frowned. Since when did Ron become so caring? Maybe I'll find out in the morning. With this thought Hermione drifted off to the dreamland.
"OK Ron, now spill. What did you dream about that made you sweat and pant so much" enquired Hermione the next morning over breakfast.
"I…err…dreamt about a world where our world exists only in fiction. I read about it in a series of novels about Harry's life at Hogwarts and during the Horcrux hunt." Ron replied.
Wow, Ron reading. Now that is something that rarely happens even in dreams. "So? You've already experienced the most of it."
"No Hermione. I haven't. I haven't experienced the part when I was absent. Which, I'm sure, happened more often than not."
"So?" asked Hermione, deciding to not deny that.
"Sooo…I had an outsiders view on what happened to Harry at the Dursely's and what happened when I fought with you two because of my jealously. I realised how wrong I was when I was jealous of Harry for having more money and fame than the whole family put together and didn't realise that the money and fame came at a huge cost. I realised how mean I was when I fought with you for every small thing and made fun of you for your devotion to studies and ignored you when you lectured me about the importance of education. I realised how much it hurt you two when I left you two during the mission due to my jealousy and stubbornness. I realised how great friends you two were when you always forgave me for my stupidity and hot temperedness. I realised how much lucky I was to have you two as my friends even if I was never a good friend. I realised that I don't deserve to have you two as friends" Ron could barely control his tears as he said all this.
"But you changed Ron. You changed after 6th year." Hermione tried to reason.
"I left you two….."
"That was because of the locket. It affected you. Didn't it?"
"Maybe but…. My behaviour towards Harry changed only because mum caught me grumbling about how unfair it was that Harry's life was better than mine and made me promise that I'll behave. And my behaviour towards you changed because of this. In fact I still use it sometimes" Ron took out a carefully hidden book from his closet and passed it to Hermione.
"'Twelve Fail Safe Ways to Charm Witches'. A BLOODY DATING GUIDE! HOW DARE YOU TRICK ME WITH A BLOODY DATING GUIDE! YOU FUCKING PRAT! Seems Harry was not lying about this after all. He had told me about this guide. But I didn't believe him. Told him that you won't do anything like this. Seems I was a fool to trust you." Hermione started crying tears pouring from her beautiful chocolate brown eyes.
Seeing her sad and crying like this, Ron couldn't help but feel disgusted at his actions. And he hadn't even told her about the love potion yet for fear of making her hate him even more. Only Ginny knew about it because she had prepared the potion and used it on Harry. He can't tell Harry as well because then Ginny will take revenge by spilling his beans to Hermione.
"Hermione, I know that what I did was the height of dishonour and you probably hate me for doing this. Believe me I hate myself as well. More than Voldemort ever hated Harry. But I've realised my mistake and I'm sorry for it. I promise I will try to rectify my mistakes, if you're ready to give me another chance, that is."
"I don't know Ron. I've already given you a lot of chances. But you always waste my efforts. What's the guarantee that this time would be any different?" Hermione asked.
"This time WOULD be different. I promise. Please Hermione. A last chance?"
"OK. But this is your final chance. And you better not ruin it."
"Yes love. I won't." Ron happily promised. "And to start" Ron took the guide from Hermione and threw it into the fireplace where it disintegrated into ashes. "Now let's go, we're getting late for work."
(1 year later)
A smiling Hermione stepped into her office as she remembered the events that took place exactly 1 year ago. So far Ron has stuck with his promise and was not going to stop any time soon. This past 1 year had been the best year of her life. She took out 'An Expert's Guide to Exceptional Spells by Marcus White' and searched for the page she was searching for.
somnium inducere :-This spell induces a dream of the casters choice on the subject. Subject will experience the dream as if it is happening in real life. Subject will temporarily forget about real life for the entire duration of the dream. Useful for treatment of chronic memory loss though can be used for other purposes as well. Duration of dream will be one minute per month of real duration of incidents induced or created.
WARNINGS: -
1. Incidents in the dream must be related to real life.
2. Must not be used to create nightmares.
3. Must not be used for incidents of duration less than a week.
Harry had contacted her the next day and informed her that he had used this spell on Ron to make him realise about his mistakes and was quite pleased that he had succeeded. He had told her that he was fed up of the way Ron took everything, especially her, for granted and wanted this to stop. Harry really was her best friend.
Continuari...
A/N: - please r/r. btw somnium inducere roughly translates to 'induce dream' in Latin. This was my first fic so have a little mercy. Suggestions are welcome.