A/N: Hello everyone. This is the first fic I have ever written. I am a HUGE Ron fangirl, but I was having a bad week, so I took it out on him. Sorry Ron. I still love you.
Warning: This story includes domestic violence. If this topic is not your cup of tea, please do not continue. Rated M just to be safe.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter franchise or the characters. They are a product of J.K. Rowling's wonderful mind. This story is purely a work of fiction and it serves for entertainment purposes only. I gain no monetary profit from this.
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Everyone knew Ron Weasley had a temper, a really bad temper. So it was a complete and utter shock to everyone when he had fallen in love with the one person who'd push his buttons the most: Hermione Granger. Her insufferable need to always be right and his too-short fuse seemed like a match made in… well definitely not heaven, but maybe some place a little more annoying and little-less pleasant. But in spite of the nay-sayers, Ron and Hermione seemed to have made it work. For the first two years after the war, their relationship was perfect. They truly were the loveliest couple in the Wizarding World. Sure they bickered every now and then, but what new couple didn't?
All was well until one day, her infamously bossy attitude and sharp tongue had gone a step too far. He really didn't mean to do it, but his body seemed to have acted on its own. Before the reality of what had happen fully sunk in, he was already apologizing and trying to soothe the fading red handprint he had left on her cheek.
The first time he hit her, she was furious with him for a week. She completely cut off all contact with him. She disconnected the Floo Network between their flats, put up wards so he couldn't Apparateinto her flat, and she shooed away all of the owls that he sent to her office daily. It was only because of the obscenely large spectacle he made of himself on her doorstep at 2:00 am, did she speak to him again. In fear of what the neighbors would think she invited him in.
It was then she realized how hard their week of separation had been. His clothes were rumpled and wrinkled, his 5 o'clock shadow had bloomed into a full on beard, and his eyes were the same color as his ginger hair. She could also smell a distinct hint of Fire Whiskey emitting from him. He looked as if he had not gotten a proper nights rest since the incident, and that was six days ago! Upon closing the door, Ron Weasley sank to his knees, grabbed Hermione by the waist, and sobbed into her hip. It was the most pitiful sight she had ever seen.
Overwhelmed by a burning need to comfort him, she hesitantly raised her hands and gently rubbed her fingers through his messy uncombed hair. After a few moments of this odd yet tender embrace, Hermione could feel a tickling vibration on her hip. Ron had been mumbling something but she couldn't make it out because of how tightly his mouth had been pressed against her hip. Slowly, she trailed her fingers down the right side of his face, and gently lifted his chin up towards her.
His flushed face had been covered in a gross mixture of tears, snot, and spit. Hermione pulled her hand into the sleeve of her pajama top and began to wipe the mess away from his face.
"I'm so sorry!" he bellowed nearly incoherently. "I swear I never meant to do that. You know how much I love you. You know how much I need you. You know I could never go on without you, Hermione."
After that last statement, Ron sank his head back into her hip and started to sob again. Hermione stared at the top of his head for a moment, and then she continued to rub her fingers through his hair.
With a blank expression on her face, she began to consider the things he had just said.
Of course she knew he was sorry for what he had done. She had seen the remorse and grief-stricken look in his eyes a millisecond after his hand left her face. However, she could not accept that type of treatment. Sure she had said a few things that had upset him; it still didn't give him the right to hit her the way he had.
But.., then again, Hermione had made some harsh commits on a touchy subject with him. She knew about the hard time he was having with Auror training, and on that day, she had been nagging him about doing better. She even knew she had crossed the line when she compared him to Draco, but still, she didn't deserve to get hit.
What was she to do now? She really didn't want to throw away a relationship that took so long to develop into fruition. And she believed him when he said how much he loved and needed her because she felt the same way. Hell, she had been in love with him since she was thirteen years old.
So after thinking about it for a moment, she made her decision. She trailed her fingers down the right side of his face and lifted his chin again. The tears, snot, and spit that reappeared would have been comical had it not been for the utter look of anguish on the face that the fluids covered.
After using her sleeve as a handkerchief once again, Hermione looked into his eyes and said, "We really need to talk about this."
"I know Mione," Ron sniffled.
She pulled her hands from his face, placed them on his hands around her waist, and urged him to stand up. As he rose, she began to notice all the little features that made him so attractive to her. She loved the fiery red mane that acted as a shaggy red curtain over his eyes, and how his eyes were as blue as the sky on a cloudless day. She loved the wonderful contrast his freckles had against his alabaster skin, and how the years of playing Quidditch and weightlifting had broaden his shoulders and given him a husky athletic built. But she absolutely loved the way his 6'3'' height towered over her. His size made her feel safe and comfort.
When he completely stood, she let go of one of his hands and led him to the kitchen. There, she made them booth a cup of tea and gave Ron a wet towel to wipe the now drying mucus and tear stains off his cheeks. For a while, they sat in silence and sipped their beverages. Eventually, Hermione decided that she would speak first.
Clearing her throat, she began,"Ronald, what you did was undeniably wrong."
Ron shifted and stared transfix at his tea cup. "I know. I'm sorry," he mumbled defeated.
"I can not and will not accept that type of treatment ever again. Do you understand?" she said.
Ron slid out if his seat, kneeled in front of her, and gathered her hands into his. "Mione, I know what I did was wrong and I'm so very sorry I did that. I promise you. PROMISE YOU, I will never lay hands on you again." he declared. He then began to tenderly kiss her hands while a few sad tear drops slipped from his eyes.
Hermione's heart began to melt at the heart-felt emotion Ron displayed before her. She leaned towards him and began to place soft butterfly kisses on his forehead. She then slowly moved her way down and engulfed his lips with a smooth and passionate kiss.
Ron released her hands, stood, and lifted her into his arms, bridal style, in one fluid motion without breaking their kiss. He carried her to the bedroom and laid her down. After removing her pajamas and knickers, he placed sorry and needy kisses all over her body. She rewarded him with moans of forgiveness and acceptance.
After coming down from their orgasmic clouds, Ron drew Hermione close to his chest and whispered, "I promise I will never hurt you again."
"I know", she sighed and smiled because she truly believed him.