Chapter Two: Reminiscing

"Fuck my life." Ron mutters, still staring at his breakfast plate.

Suddenly, he stands and, face growing as red as his hair, stomps out of the small flat, slamming the front door and walking angrily out the front door towards a muggle pub. The door creaks open and shut as Ron struts over to the bar.

"Gimme the strongest thing you've got." Ron mumbles, glaring at the bartender.

Silently, a mug slides down to Ron, and he takes a gulp. Grunting in approval, he downs the rest of the drink in seconds. He orders a few more drinks until satisfied, then saunters over to a booth, collapsing against the grimy seat. Staring out the window, he could just see the flat Hermione and him had bought soon after the war.

~~~~~~~~FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~

Hermione giggles and runs up to the small flat. Ron starts to follow but then pauses. He just looks at the girl he grew up with that had become a beautiful woman. She had grown up nicely; her teeth weren't so bad anymore, and her hair fell in soft brown ringlets as opposed to the bush it was once upon a time.

Today she had worn a white dress, perfect for the summertime weather. It showed off her curves, but was just modest enough to be Hermione. She was sitting on the front porch swing, a twinkle in her eyes and her tan legs swinging back and forth.

"She's so beautiful... How did I never notice that?" Ron wonders.

He shakes his head, puts on a smile, and follows her to the front door, admiring the way her sleeveless dress shows off her toned arms.

"You have the key right Ron?" Hermione asks, giddy with anticipation.

After a few moments of silence, she turns towards Ron with her eyebrows creased in concern.

"Are you okay Ron?" she asks, putting her hand on his arm.

He simply grins at her, "Yeah, I'm perfect. Let's see it yeah?"

A smile erupts on Hermione's face as she nods and takes hold of his hand. Together, they cross the threshold and Hermione squeals in delight.

"Ron! It's gorgeous!" Hermione gushes.

The front hall was simple. The walls were painted white and there was a rack for shoes. The floor was a light wood throughout the house. Ahead was a hall that led to a spacious living room on the right with a fireplace made of assorted light stones. It blended perfectly with the walls and the floor. The rest of the house was designed the same. The kitchen connected to the living room with a small bar. The flat looped around to reveal two simple bedrooms and two baths.

Ron could only watch as Hermione frantically raced around the flat with glee. Hermione came around full swing and raced over to Ron, nearly knocking him down.

"Ron, this place is amazing! Thank you so much! I think this is perfect, what about you?" she gazed expectantly into his eyes.

"Mione, all that matters to me is that you are here with me. That's what makes it perfect." Ron responds, looking down into her sparkling brown eyes.

She stands on her tippy toes and plants a kiss right on his lips and then quickly turns, pulling him down the hall.

"Which room should we take? Oh, I have the best idea for the extra room, and we definitely need to paint the living room, white is so drab!..." Hermione spoke a mile a minute as Ron trailed after her, not believing, but rejoicing in her excitement.

~~~~~~~~~~END FLASHBACK~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron slumped even further down in the booth, not caring what others thought of him, they were all muggles anyway. Hermione was the best thing that ever happened to him, and he lost her. The few months that they had shared that flat were the best of his life. Now, what was he supposed to do? Going back to school would be agony seeing her everyday.

Everyone who had fought during the war was graciously invited back to Hogwarts to complete their 7th year. Hermione was one of the students invited back, and she fully intended to return.

Currently stationed at her parent's home, she paces around her bedroom, trying to clear her head, which, as usual, is working overtime.

"Fine, he doesn't care? I'll show him that I don't care either. I'm going to enjoy my last year at Hogwarts if it's the last bloody thing I do!" Hermione commands to herself.

Suddenly, with a devilish grin taking over her face, she strides out of her bedroom and down to the fireplace, which had been connected to the Floo for years. Her parents were at work and hadn't heard what happened yet.

She stepped over to the floo, threw some powder in, knelt down, and called for Ginny Weasley. Ginny and Hermione had grown extremely close after the war, due to the frequent trips to the Burrow Hermione made with Ron.

Suddenly the fiery redhead's face appeared in the flames.

"Mione! We need to catch up, I haven't seen you in forever!" Ginny pouted, crossing her arms.

"Gin, you saw me last week!" Hermione giggled.

Hermione quickly sobered and asked, "Gin, can you come over? I need to talk to somebody. It's important." Her face held no laughter.

Ginny immediately noticed her tone and nodded.

"Mum! I'm going over to Hermione's! I'll be back later!" she shouted to her mother before standing and stepping through the Floo.

By the time she was out of the fireplace, Hermione had sat down on the well-worn leather couch she had known as a child. Fingering a blanket lying on the couch, she kept her eyes fixed on her shoes.

Ginny rushed over, face overflowing with concern, and held Hermione. Hermione let out a sob, and before she knew it, all her emotions that she had held inside came bursting out.

"Shh, shh, Mione, it's alright... Shh." Ginny said, rubbing Hermione's back.

Hermione's tears stopped soon afterwards, and sniffing, she turned towards Ginny and relayed the events of the morning to her.

Ginny's face became nearly as red as her brother's as she heard the story unravel.

"THAT GIT!" Ginny screamed, standing up and pacing the room.

"YOU are the best thing that ever happened to him! How dare he have the fucking nerve to kick you out! I swear, if he shows up at the Burrow, he's in for a hell of an arse kic-" Ginny ranted.

Laughing at her friend's furious words, Hermione went over to her and forced Ginny into a seat. Hermione simply put a plotting look on her face until Ginny's burning eyes met Hermione's.

Suddenly, Ginny grinned. "You have a plan, don't you!" Ginny cackled.

Hermione began to reveal her plan that she had come up with as Ginny's grin grew larger and larger.