Numbness.
That's all Hermione felt as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. The bags under her eyes appearing darker and more pronounced than usual due to her lack of sleep. She was well past the grieving phase, but that didn't stop her from staying up at night every once in a while, replaying her breakup with Ron in her head. It had been almost a year and a half since then and she still thought about it from time to time. She wasn't happy, she wasn't sad, she was stuck on some form of never-ending autopilot just going through the motions. If she were being honest with herself, she had seen it coming, but she didn't think Ron would be the first one to make the move. Especially not to turn around and go right into Lavender's arms. It wasn't so much that Ron went to Lavender that bothered her, it was the way he went about it that hurt her the most. On some level, even if it wasn't a romantic one, her and Ron cared for one another. Years of building a solid foundation as friends/family seemed to mean nothing to Ron that night he had called her.
A phone call.
A phone call of all things? Where the hell was the notorious Gryffindor bravery everyone in their house supposedly had?
Her mind drifted to her memory from that night as she proceeded with some skin care.
-flashback-
"Hermione…"
"Hey, are you going to be home soon? Your mum made some steak and kidney pie and I brought some home for leftovers. I think this is her best one yet. If only you could see me now licking my fingers and hoarding the leftovers…. your Weasley table manners are contagious, it's simply unacceptable!" Hermione giggled as she fixed a plate of food for herself. Completely missing the tone in Ron's voice on the phone.
The line was near silent for several moments except for his breathing on the other line.
"…Ron?"
"Hermione I can't do this…"
"Well, that's okay, I can pack up the leftovers and we can leave them for another-"
She was cut off by Ron.
"Hermione, I meant us. What are we even doing?"
With a deep sigh, Hermione replied, "I'll tell you exactly what I'M doing. I'm fixing you a plate of your favorite dish waiting for you to come home so that WE can talk about US face to face. I have the decency to wait for you. I've waited patiently for MONTHS while you were away for Auror training because I didn't want to do this over the phone and hinder your progress. I waited because I care, Ron, and now you're going to do something so incredibly cowardly and end things over a phone call? This is absolutely pathetic and quite frankly, immature even for you." Hermione tried to keep some semblance of calm, but Ron had the ability to get under her skin like no other.
"You knew-YOU KNEW we were going to break up and you never said anything?! You just lied to me the entire time I was away?!" responded Ron, his trademark temper definitely getting the best of him as he raised his voice.
"I never ONCE lied to you, Ron! I meant it when I said that I love you. I do, but you had to have known something was wrong. We were fighting every. single. day up until you went away to training." Said an exasperated Hermione.
"'Mione- "
"don't you DARE 'Mione' me. Not yet. Not until we can get back to the way things were before we were in a dysfunctional relationship. Ron, I know things are going to be tense for a little while so-"
"I'm seeing someone. I've been seeing someone" Said Ron cutting off Hermione, it was almost like word vomit.
"I'm sorry, what?" asked a dumbfounded Hermione. Not entirely sure if she heard him correctly.
"I've been seeing someone and I don't want to be with you anymore. Even before I left for training, she was there for me when you weren't and- "
"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY. It's one thing for you to end things on the phone, but it's another to admit that it's because you cheated. THAT I will NOT stand for. Did all of these years mean NOTHING to you? How could you do this to us?!" her throat felt like she had just taken a shot of fire whiskey without a chaser and her voice was hoarse.
The next several hours consisted of raised voices, a spiteful exchange of words and many tears, at least on Hermione's end.
It all ended with Ron saying "I'm coming home tonight, but Lav's moving in in a few weeks. You have until then to pack your things and find a new place."
--end flashback-
Snapping out of her memory, Hermione proceeded to throw her hair up in a messy bun and get ready to start her day.
Her first order of business was going to be cleaning the downstairs area of Grimmauld Place. After her split with Ron, she didn't have the energy to look for a new place so she settled for where she currently was. What started out as a temporary home quickly turned into a permanent residence and Hermione found herself beginning the renovations she should have started ages ago. Ginny was due to meet with her any minute to help out.
As if on cue, Hermione heard Ginny come through the door.
"'Min, are you sure you want to do this? This place is so depressing. Even with all the renovations, you'll have no one with you. You'll become a recluse." Asked Ginny, taking off her coat and hanging it on the rickety coat rack.
"That's where you're wrong, Gin, I already am a recluse, I'll just have a nicer home." Hermione winked and chuckled.
"I'm serious, 'Min, I know this is what's familiar to you and it's familiar to all of us, but do you really want to spend the rest of your life here? This would be a lot to take on by yourself, even Harry and I aren't interested in sharing this space and the responsibilities between the two of us. It takes a lot to keep this place running. Go out, explore the world. Find a guy or two. Be promiscuous! Everyone needs a slag chapter in their life, it builds character."
"A slag chapter?" laughed Hermione "Gin, just because I'm no longer at the ministry and I have a few months before I teach at Hogwarts does not mean I'm going to go off and have a 'slag chapter' as you so put it. I need to be preparing my lesson plans. Transfiguration isn't going to teach itself."
"Afraid it'll turn into the whole book, huh?" chuckled Ginny as she waggled her eyebrows, sitting on the floor in front of Hermione.
"Please" scoffed Hermione, shuffling the paint finish samples scattered about the floor "I'm not even sure what book this 'Hermione' is anymore. It's been blank page after blank page for the past year and a half."
"and now's your chance to start writing! Also, when were you going to tell me that you accepted McGonagall's offer? I thought you were leaning more towards 'no' on that one."
"I figured a change of pace would be nice. No more 9-to-5 turning into overtime every night at a desk job…it is the ministry, but it's still a desk job nonetheless. I don't want to be a robot going through the motions anymore, I want to do something fulfilling for once. Besides, I really think this is my calling, Gin."
"Well, that's great, I'm really happy for you but, question. Why are you going through the trouble of renovating this place when you'll have living quarters at Hogwarts?"
"I feel like I owe it to Harry. I know you two don't live here, but he's still technically the Lord of this house and I've done absolutely nothing aside from the bare minimum to get this place out of its dusty state."
"oh, Min, you owe Harry no such thing! You know he let you stay here with no strings attached. I'm sure he'll understand."
"I just…feel like if I can't get myself to one hundred percent after all I've been through, then I sure as hell will get this house to one hundred percent. At least one of us won't be a total mess."
"you are not a total mess. You are Hermione Jean (stuck in a rut) Granger and we WILL get you out of this. Starting now!" exclaimed Ginny, pulling Hermione up off the floor with her.
"You're just excited to get me out of the house and go shopping." Replied Hermione, rolling her eyes. A small smile creeping up on her face.
"Oh, don't pretend you're not as excited about this as I am"
"I wouldn't say excitement as much as I'm feeling overwhelmed. I've never been the typical girly girl, I don't know half the things that you do, Gin."
"Leave that to me. When I'm done with you, you'll feel like whole new you. Well, a more improved you, but still you, do you follow?"
"not exactly sure what to follow here, Gin, but I'm all in."
"That's what I like to hear." Responded Ginny, looking at Hermione and giving her a once over.
"is this what you're wearing out?" asked Ginny. Hermione had on a pair of high-waisted baggy jeans, an off-shoulder loose-fitted tee, some sneakers, and not a smidge of makeup with her hair in the same frizzy bun.
"There's nothing wrong with what I'm wearing. Besides, we're going out to buy nice clothes- "
"not just 'nice' clothes, Min, we're getting you a whole new wardrobe. Lingerie included. It's about time. Let me at least fix your hair." Interrupted Ginny.
"Gin..." Hermione was starting to get a little annoyed now.
"Ok, fine, we'll stop by the salon first."
Hermione reached for her cell phone and her purse before holding Ginny's hand and side-apparating into Diagon Alley.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do not own ANYTHING from the Harry Potter Franchise, that's all J.K Rowling.
This is my first fanfiction and I'm really going to try to upload a chapter at least once a week or two. I'm usually garbage when it comes to committing to these things on a weekly basis, but I will try, I promise! 😊 Also, should I make this lengthier, keep the chapters to a shorter length, or make this the minimum? I will get the hang of everything hopefully soon :) Constructive criticism is appreciated, but nastiness is not. This is going to be a fic more focused on romance/humor, pretty light-hearted, but who knows? It might change the more I write it. I initially also wanted it to be just a Fred/Hermione pairing, but I'm open to having a trio with George included as well. Whichever pairing I choose to go with, it won't be an abrupt thing, I want it to be a slower build. I feel like there aren't enough Hermione and the Weasley twin pairings...or maybe i just love the pairing so much that i've already read most of the stories ;) This chapter was sort of a background information/pilot chapter. It will get more interesting the more I write it. Thank you for taking the time to read! Also, my apologies on any grammar/spelling mistakes (I can only proof read it so many times before everything starts to look like a shapeless glob of words).