A/N: This fic is for the Going, Going, Gone! Challenge for the prompt triad: Harry/Ron/Hermione (restriction must breakup), and for the Insane House challenge prompt genre: drama. It's 742 words.
Hermione and Ron were sitting across from Harry worried about what he wanted to tell them.
The three of them had been seeing each other since being on the run three years ago, and even though they had been going through a rough patch recently they hoped that things would work out between them.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do this anymore. I love you both very much, but I'm tired of constantly being in the middle of your arguments. I hate the fact that both of you bitch about the other to me. We're all supposed to love each other and be in a relationship, but this feels like we're back in school and I don't want that. I've tried to work through how I feel, but the more you argue the more I want to be somewhere else. I don't want to leave but I think it would be for the best," Harry told them.
"I-I'm sorry I made you feel like that, Harry. I love you too, and even though I don't want you to leave, if that's what you want then I will accept it. We are still going to be friends though, aren't we?" Hermione asked as tears fell from her eyes.
She was devastated that Harry had decided to leave, but Hermione couldn't blame him. Over the past couple of months she and Ron had started arguing more and more and when they both thought they were right they asked Harry to take sides. It wasn't right, and Hermione wished now more than ever that they had left him out of it.
"Of course we are still friends, Hermione. I wouldn't abandon you. Either of you," he said looking pointedly at Ron.
"Thank you," Ron said gruffly.
He's obviously taking it just as well as I am, Hermione thought.
"When do you think you will be moving out?" she asked.
"Tomorrow. I have a day off and seen as Grimmauld Place is habitable I will go there," he informed them.
When the next day came Hermione couldn't stop her tears from falling as Harry disappeared with box after box of his things through the floo.
"I can't believe he's gone," Hermione sobbed after Harry took the last of his stuff from the flat they shared.
She was still in shock that it had been something she and Ron had done that had pushed him away.
"I can't either," Ron said sadly.
Silence enveloped them after that and lasted the whole night.
The next few weeks were pretty quiet as they adjusted to Harry being gone, but soon after the arguments started between them again.
"Why is it so hard to do something so simple?" Hermione shouted.
"If it was that simple I would be able to do it!" Ron shouted back.
"Even if you didn't know how to put the washing machine on you could always load it up, or do some dishes in the kitchen! So long as you actually do something around the house rather than making a mess all the time," she snarled.
"Is that all you think I do? I work all hours of the goddamn day and all you can do is pick on me for a few small things. I give up. I really do. No matter what I do it's wrong," he said sounding resigned.
"I can't live like this, Ron. I'm not someone who sits at home all day doing nothing, I work too. Maybe not shifts like you do, but it's still long hours. I don't want to always come home to find that the housework hasn't been done, or there's no food in the house. I try my best, but it shouldn't all be down to me. If you want someone like that then I suggest we split up," Hermione explained calmly.
"It's really not working, is it?" Ron asked dejectedly.
"No, it's not. I love you, but we just aren't right together. I think that without Harry holding us together we were never going to work," she said quietly.
It was true; Harry seemed to be the glue that stuck them together and without him they had fallen apart spectacularly.
"I'm sorry, Hermione."
"So am I, Ron. I really wish things could have worked out between all of us," Hermione said sighing.
Hermione could only hope that their friendship would survive their breakup as it seemed they would be better off as friends than lovers.