Pairing: hinted Marcus/Hermione with some Ron bashing
I was inspired to write this after listening to Echo by Auburn. Of course I pictured these characters when listening to it...but they're a little OOC
I wrote all of this around 12 in the morning, so there might be a few mistakes, but otherwise, enjoy the story!
I don't own the Harry Potter franchise or the song! (Also, the last sentence is the last line from the song)
Italics are flashbacks
"Mione," she looked up at the sound of her name. "There's something I have to tell you."
Worry etched itself across her face, "What's wrong, Gin?"
"It's about Ron."
...
"I just thought that you should know..."
What Ginny wasn't expecting was a forced laugh, "Yes, I knew already; I just thought he'd finally stopped."
"I'm sorry, Love," the ginger said as he kneeled in front of his fiancee with flowers in hand. "Forgive me?"
Hermione stayed silent as she put her book down softly. She grasped the present while looking him in the eyes.
"This is the last time I can do this, Ron."
He smiled as he reached for her face and kissed her gratefully, "You know I love you, Hermione. I'll do whatever you ask of me from now on."
"Then stop sleeping with Romilda Vane."
'There they are,' Hermione thought as she spotted him and Romilda snogging in the grass. She noticed him catch her eye as she turned away.
"Mione, please wait! I can explain!"
He ran after her, leaving his not-so-secret girlfriend behind in a heartbeat. He only lost sight of her when she disapparated...
"Harry," Hermione started as she appeared at the Burrow. He and Ginny were visiting her family when she arrived.
The Boy Who Lived looked up at her in surprise as Ginny cursed under her breath at her brother's stupidity. She had explained to Harry the situation and he had nearly killed Ron the next time he saw him.
Without speaking, he stood up, ran to her, and wrapped her in his arms. Hermione knew it was wrong to stay with someone who didn't treat her the way she wanted to be treated as a woman, but she loved him too much to let go. Ginny told her mother that she and Harry would have to reschedule lunch and the three of them left to 12 Grimmauld Place.
"There you are," came a familiar voice after she had calmed down, "I've been looking everywhere for you."
Ron tried to approach her, but Harry stood in front of her.
"I think it's best if you left, Ron," he said through gritted teeth.
The ginger scrunched his eyebrows as he glanced between his best friend and finacee, "What's all of this about?"
Ginny scoffed in disbelief as Harry's rage skyrocketed, "GET OUT!"
A blond watched from the shadows as he saw her release a breath slowly. She had thrown something in the dark lake and had pulled out her wand while her hand trembled.
Since first year he had watched her and Weasley slowly fall for each other, and since the Second Wizarding War, he had seen Weaselbee's thirst for female attention go through the roof, as the muggles would say. It didn't help that he earned a lot of "fans" for being one of the best friends of Saint Potter. He watched as the Muggleborn witch pointed her wand into her neck and gently whispered-
"Avada Ked-"
Before he could stop himself, he yelled, "EXPELLIARMUS!"
She whipped around in shock as her wand went flying behind her and landed in the Malfoy heir's hand, and even in the dead of night he could see she had been crying.
"What exactly do you think you're doing, Granger?"
Draco had escorted her to Malfoy Manor while earning many confused glances from the many house elves and his parents. He brought her to his private study and shut the door as she explained to him why she attempted to take her own life.
"Ron had been sleeping with Romilda Vane behind my back for a few months now. I'm sure you remember her..." she said as she sipped her ice water.
He waited patiently for her to finish, "He had come to me once Harry and Ginny stepped out for a minute with flowers and another apology again. I knew I should've said no the first time, but since I didn't, I had to say it then."
"Then why would you try to use the Killing Curse on yourself?" Draco questioned her as he twirled her wand in his fingers, refusing to give it back.
He knew he shouldn't care about someone of her status, but he did owe her and Potter for saving his parents from lifetime imprisonment in Azkaban.
"Because I know I won't last one day without him. I love him too much."
He scoffed as he responded to the statement, "For such a smart witch, Granger, you're pretty thick, aren't ya?"
"Hermione, you remember my friend, Marcus Flint? He went to Hogwarts with us briefly," Draco said as he reintroduced his two friends.
His parents agreed to allow Hermione to stay with them and she had lived there for about a year now, with no contact with Ron, Harry, Ginny, or any other Weasley. She had started her entire life over the night Draco saved her from making a fatal mistake.
Now, he felt like she should move on completely. Naturally, he would set her up with someone he deemed worthy; his ex-Quidditch captain from his Hogwarts years fit his requirements perfectly.
He had a strong build, he had grown to be about 6 feet tall, he had gotten his teeth straightened, and he was someone who would protect Hermione from her disgusting ex, who ended up being engaged to Romilda, but continued to pursue her.
"A pleasure to meet you again, Flint."
"Please," he smiled at her, "call me Marcus."
Oh yes, Draco Malfoy was a genius.
A yell of pain sounded out as Ron was thrown across the pub, "If I ever catch you sending anything to my girl again, I will destroy you, Weasel."
Marcus stormed out of the Leaky Cauldron angrily until he felt a delicate hand clutching his arm, "Where have you been? Draco and I have been searching everywhere for you!"
His anger left him as he looked upon the worried face of his girlfriend of 8 months, Hermione Granger.
After Draco had introduced them, the petite brunette became the center of his world, and he wasn't about to let anyone take her away from him. Draco had told him about what occurred between her and Weasley before she started living with the Malfoys and he went off to find him while they were in Diagon Alley. It just so happened to be perfect timing when he saw a flash of red hair going into the Leaky Cauldron.
"Sorry, love. Got a little caught up," he gave her a toothy grin as he wrapped her in his arms lovingly. She couldn't help but grin back at him as he bent down to capture her lips with his.
He knows they'll be together for the rest of their lives. But for now, he'll wait for her to get over the Weasel.
Patiently, he will wait.
"How've you been this week, Flint? You've been smiling a lot more than usual," Draco said as he saw his godson, Jamie Draco Flint, run around the Manor with his younger brother, Gregory, in his peripheral vision.
He heard a relaxed response as he sat back, "Things have been wonderful. How's Scorp?"
Draco couldn't help the smile that spread on his face at the mention of his newborn son, "He's been keeping Astoria and I awake for many nights at a time."
It had been 8 years since the day Draco had gotten his two friends to meet. Now, the couple had two children with another one on the way; a girl this time.
They reveled in the silence until a soft chuckle broke it, "I never did thank you that day, did I?"
Draco laughed back, "No, I don't think you did."
His best friend turned to him with soft eyes, "Thank you, Draco. For saving my life."
Smiling, he answered, "You're welcome, Mione."
It's time for me to let go