Hermione blankly looked at the man kneeling before her. His eyes shone with hope as he looked up at her. He opened his mouth to speak but Hermione took her finger and placed it against his mouth he closed his mouth, looking up expectantly at her. She let out a little sigh, she never wanted to have to say this. She took a deep breath. She just had to say it/

"Get up," she said more softly than she'd intended.

Cerulean eyes looked at her in confusion and Hermione could see an inkling of understanding in his eyes, understanding that had built up over all the years they had been together. but he ignored it in favor of confusion. Confusion was so much easier she thought sadly.

"What do you mean?" the man asked, not moving an inch.

Hermione looked at him, her brown eyes were soft but they held an underlying sadness. It took her awhile to answer, as she built up her courage.

"I've never loved you," Hermione said softly.

She sunk to the floor and put her head in her knees, not caring that she was wearing her best dress, not caring that it would be completely ruined. She couldn't stand up her legs felt like jelly, when she towered over him. She couldn't bring herself to look up, to see the hurt in his eyes. She just kept her eyes on the hem of her dress. Away from the man kneeling right in front of her.

"What do you mean?" Ron repeated, obviously confused, "I mean we've been dating for three years, I thought..."

"I know what you thought," Hermione said, her eyes leaving the hem and observing him waiting for his reaction, "but it'll always be Harry for me."

Ron's eyes flashed with betrayal and he clutched the little box in his hand tightly closing his eyes as if trying to hold in the emotion. When he opened them the light blue seemed to be so much darker than they normaly were. The shine seemed to have been taken out of them replaced by rage. Hermione couldn't tell at who.

"Harry," he ground out, "If you haven't noticed Harry doesn't give a damn, he's pretty happy with Ginny, his wife. Remember that Hermione. Your great love has a wife, or were you planning on breaking my sisters heart too."

Hermione's eyes shone with tears and they ran down her cheeks as she gazed at him. It took her a long time to answer.

"I know," she murmured at last, "I know that Harry will never love me, I've known that for a very long time. I know that there's no happy ever after in my future. But, I just can't marry you Ron. I can't marry someone I don't love. It's not fair to you. I've tried to love you, I've tried to love you for so long. I really have. I really just can't. I'm so sorry."

His eyes softened as she finished. She stood up and brushed off her dress and finally she looked down at him.

"You'll always be my best friend," she said softly.

"That's not what-"

"Shhhh," she said tenderly, "I know that I can't give you what you want Ron."

He still was there bent down on one knee, that dratted box still clutched in his hand.

Hermione leaned down and Ron couldn't help but noticed she smelled of flowers and whispered in his ear, "Save it. Save it for someone who will really love you."

She closed the box softly.

"It's not for me."

And then she was gone leaving four words ringing in his ears.

"I've never loved you."