Hermione went white as sheet again and started to slowly back away from where Ginny stood. As her best friend, Hermione had never been on the receiving side of Ginny's infamous temper but seeing the look in the girl's eyes she started to panic. What if Ginny finally had enough of Hermione's whining and was mad at her? Ron was Ginny's brother after all and Ginny always stood up for family. And Hermione for one had never seen Ginny look as formidable as she did now – she looked like she was ready to lose it completely.
'Stop it!' she ordered herself. Ginny had always been there for her before and nothing was going to change now. And Hermione had done nothing wrong! This whole situation was not her fault at all and if she did not stop thinking that then she knew she would break into hysterics very soon.
"Do you mean to tell me," Ginny seethed, turning to Ron, "that you left Hermione here, in the middle of the night, during one of her nightmares, to go shag Lavender Brown?" Ginny's voice was calm but Hermione took another involuntary step back. She seemed to be emitting a raw power that sent chills through her words even though she hadn't even raised her voice. She looked positively livid.
"Am I understanding this correctly, Ronald? You left your girlfriend, screaming your name for help, to go to that TRAMP? You left her for Lavender? You left her? You've been treating Hermione horribly for months and this is the last straw. I promised her so many times that I wouldn't do anything but this is ENOUGH," spat Ginny. Hermione couldn't even move. No, she was afraid to even move. But apparently, Ron was not as Ginny's accusations seemed to have only riled him up more. He did not look the least bit ashamed and Hermione felt her blood boiling beneath her skin. How could he not feel ashamed? Did he have no heart at all?
"Look here, Ginny!" Ron screamed. "You have absolutely no right to tell me anything. I treated Hermione just fine and I will continue to do what I please. You have absolutely no say in what I do or whether or not I choose to shag anyone!" At this, Hermione started silently begging Ron to stop talking – Ginny looked positively ready to murder him. "If I choose to leave Hermione and be with Lavender, it's my business, and I don't give a rat's arse what you think!"
Ron seemed to have finished his little speech and glared at Ginny as if daring her to challenge him. And challenge she did. Hermione had never seen Ginny throw so many curses at another person in a row. She blasted him so that he hit the wall opposite her, and followed up quickly breaking his nose, and sending a curse to his stomach so that he bowled over, clutching his side. And just like Ginny, she finished off with the most brilliant Bat Bogey Hex that Hermione had ever seen. And Hermione didn't even have the energy, heart, or desire to do anything about it – she felt absolutely no reason to go and help Ron. He had hurt her irrevocably, and the only thing she felt like doing was punching him until he bled. What had happened to him? When had he become such a complete ass?
"Hermione, stay here. I'm taking Ron to the Burrow so that mum can deal with him because I'm afraid I might kill him if I look at him any longer. Though I sincerely doubt that mum will go any easier on him." Ginny spoke quickly and before Hermione had a chance to open her mouth to reply, Ginny had grabbed Ron and disapparated.
Hermione sank to the floor and stared at the spot where Ginny had disappeared with a pop moments before – tears didn't even form in her eyes, she didn't think that she could cry over Ron anymore. How could he possibly do this to her?! After everything that she had given him! After everything that she had done for him! After taking care of him! Was she really that horrible? How could he not even appreciate anything that she had done? What did Lavender have that she didn't? Did she have bigger breasts or something? Is that all it took for her relationship to fall apart? Ron couldn't stand Lavender at school! How was it that after everything that they had been through together, after all the times that she had helped him through his brother's death, that all it took was one call of 'Won-Won' (a nickname that he bitterly hated) for him to leave?
Was she really that hard to live with? Hermione knew she could be quite controlling and overly organized but everyone who knew her knew that she deeply cared for the people that she was friends with. Was it because she took too long to be intimate with him? They had had sex for the first time 4 months after the final battle – was it too long for him to wait? Maybe she wasn't open enough with her emotions. Hermione didn't particularly enjoy public displays of affection as it made people stare at her even more than normal and Ron couldn't quite keep his hands to himself. He was always trying to put his hand up her shirt, or to put his hand on her arse, or to pull him to her, but Hermione had always pushed him away. Was it really that mental for her to just want to hold hands? To be able to stand next to him and put her hand in the crook of his arm, just like she used to do with her father? Maybe she should have just let him have his way.
But deep down, Hermione knew that she shouldn't have to do any of that to keep him around. If Ron had truly loved her, he would have been more understanding of her reasons for being uncomfortable and tried to comfort her, not yell at her for refusing to touch him! He would have been kinder about the whole situation and not tried to force her into things. A man who respected her, and loved her would be happy just holding her hand. She wouldn't have to change herself and her beliefs to make him happy. As cliché as it sounded, the right man would love her for who she was. The right man wouldn't mercilessly laugh at her bushy hair, and comment non-stop on her lack of 'slutty' clothing, or repeatedly ask her why she didn't wear make-up if she didn't look that good without it.
Hermione didn't mind being teased a little, but Ron was often quite harsh and heartless. She remembered what Ron had said to her once – 'how am I supposed to show off my girlfriend if she looks like a sack of potatoes? Don't you have anything better to wear?' It was true that Hermione did not have the most fashionable wardrobe, but did Ron have to be so cruel about it?! Her head snapped out of it's memories as she heard the pop of apparition and looked up to see Ginny returning. Still a bit wary, she just looked at Ginny and was a bit astonished to feel the girl fling herself onto Hermione and hug the breathing life out of her.
"Hermione, don't you dare listen to a word he said! I know you've probably been thinking a million different things since I left and I'm sure you think you're at fault, but listen to me. None, and I repeat none of this is your fault! Ron is a total pig, and deserves to die alone for what he did to you. You are a wonderful woman, a brilliant witch, and a truly caring person Hermione and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Ron deserves that slag. You deserve someone who will treat you right. You did nothing wrong and I hope you don't blame yourself. I'm here for you sweetie, I'm here," Ginny soothed.
Hermione breathed a small sigh of relief, knowing that Ginny was still going to be at her side. Rationally, she knew that it wasn't her fault, but she couldn't help her emotions going a bit haywire at the moment. "You sure, you're not mad at me?" she asked timidly.
"Hermione Jean Granger! I could never be mad at you. I'm just so glad that you are finally rid of that slimy git!"
At this Hermione giggled, "How did mum take it?"
"Oh, sweet Merlin Hermione, you should have been there," Ginny laughed. "Mum took one look at him, and then one at me and looked like she was about to explode so I quickly stopped her and explained what I had heard. And then she did explode. I have never in my life seen my mother so angry. She seemed to gain three inches, went red in the face and yelled so loudly that I almost fell over. Not even Fred and George have made her that mad before. She started whacking him over the head and actually hit him with a frying pan! It was bloody hilarious. She roared and roared and roared swore to never forgive him for his 'obscenely poor choice in judgement.' And then she insulted Lavender, the whore, and started singing praises of you. You should have seen the git's face, he looked terrified! He looked more terrified than he did during the actual battle!"
Hermione burst into laughter and rolled onto the floor. She could imagine the entire scenario – she felt a stab of gratitude to Mrs. Weasley for defending her and laughed some more about her insulting Lavender. "You know what, Gin? I'm actually glad. I'm glad that the git is now with the slag. I can't believe I stayed with him for this long."
"I honestly cannot fathom why you stuck around. He was horrible to you!" Ginny smiled. "You are rid of him, and tomorrow you are taking me to muggle London, and we are going to the spa, and we are going shopping, and we are getting makeovers and spending the whole day like a bunch of giggling teenagers, because you deserve a break."
"That sounds marvellous, Gin. I'm looking forward to it!" And she really was. Enough with Ron and with moping around at her pathetic love life. She was tired, not physically but mentally, and tomorrow she and Ginny would relax. She wanted a makeover, she suddenly decided. No more looking like a sack of potatoes like Ron so eloquently put it – Hermione Granger wanted a change, a fresh start. And tomorrow would be the day.