Chapter Two
"I know it is tough sweetheart, but you just have to do what is right for you. You know that boy isn't good enough. He abandoned you during your worst time, and he constantly argues with you now. He puts pressure on you. You just have to 'bite the bullet' as Ted would say and let him down easy, but efficiently. It is the only way you will be able to move on."
Hermione knew that Andromeda Tonks was right. She needed to end things with Ron. It was just so frustrating! They weren't even technically together, he had just assumed they were. She didn't want to lose her best friend, but she knew that she could not continue on with things being like they were. As she bounced Teddy in her lap she told Andy "You are right. I just wish things could go back to the way they were, you know? I mean. I just want to move on with my life. I know that once I am free of him, I will be able to proceed with a clear head. I wish I could be like Teddy-not a care in the world. Just moving on to what color hair he will have next."
Andromeda laughed, "oh yes, to be Teddy. Hermione dear, go home. When Ron finally makes it back, you tell him exactly how you feel. Tell him you still want to be friends, but that you cannot keep on with how things stand." "Thanks Andy. I will do that. You always know what to say." Hermione sighed in response. Andromeda took Teddy back from Hermione: "I was married for a long time Mione, and I had a daughter. I got her through many boy troubles in her time. It is nice to have you around, I have missed having talks like this with Dora." "I really should come around more. I am sorry I haven't lately. It has just been so tough" Hermione apologized. After saying their goodbyes, Hermione apparated back to Grimmauld Place to see Harry and hopefully end things once and for all with Ron.
As she walked through the door and slipped her shoes off quietly so as to not wake Mrs. Black, Hermione thought she heard noises in the kitchen. Guessing that Harry and Ginny were cooking dinner, she made her way down the hallway. As she opened the door she started to greet the couple "Hey Harry Hey Gin-…." Hermione's words fell short at the sight before her-she had opened the kitchen door to see Ron standing at the end of the table completely naked. An equally naked Lavender Brown was on her back splayed on the table. Her massive breasts bouncing as Ron pounded in to her hard and fast. Lavender was moaning Ron's name over and over again, and Hermione realized the noises she heard were the shaking and movement of the table and Ron buried himself in to Lavender. Looking up as he heard the door hit the wall, Ron quickly pulled himself out of Lavender with a squelch. As her legs fell down hard, Lavender tumbled to the floor. She jumped up yelling "what the fuck Ron?!" As Ron scrambled to get his clothes on, Lavender looked around to see what the interruption was. When she made eye contact with Hermione, instead of being embarrassed she immediately puffed out her endowment, and smirked "Well, I guess this is one way of telling the prude that we are back together huh Ron?" Hermione looked at Ron, with his penis still out and wet from Lavender's juices and ran from the Ron with a choked sob. She hurried to her room and slammed the door shut. Before she could get her wards up, she heard Ron pounding at the door "Hermione, please. Open the door. We need to talk, I can explain everything!" She knew she shouldn't open the door but she was so mad that she did anyway. "What is there to explain Ronald? Clearly you took my advice and decided that you would rather get laid by some whore than be with me. You made your choice. Don't EVER make the mistake of thinking that we are more than 'just friends again.'" She screamed the last bit at him as Harry came running up the stairs asking "What is going on? Why is Lavender fucking Brown in my kitchen naked as the day she was born and why are you two screaming at each other again?"
Hermione calmly looked at Harry and told him "Ron decided that he was going to fuck Lavender on the kitchen table. I walked in on it." Ron started to sputter out words to Harry but Harry just held up his hand to silence him. "You know what Ron? I really want to forgive you for this. But this is enough. I didn't want to lose your friendship before, but obviously you just think with your cock instead of your head. If you can do this to our best friend, I don't think I want you living in my house anymore. Go get your slut and stay with her. Or run home to mommy. I am not going let you keep hurting Hermione anymore." Ron tried to explain himself but Harry was resolute. He marched Ron back down the stairs. By that time Lavender had finally put her clothes back on-she looked at Ron and said "Don't worry my sweet Ronniekins, you can come stay with me. I'll at least keep you satisfied the way a woman should." She directed that last bit to Hermione. Instead of rising to the bait, Hermione remained stone faced and on the stairs. Harry told Lavender "That is enough, you can leave now. I don't want to see you in this house again. Ron, I really hope that one day you will grow the fuck up."
After Ron and Lavender left, Harry turned to Hermione and held out his arms. She collapsed in to them and started sobbing. Harry rubbed her back and made soothing noises. Once she had calmed down enough that she wasn't shaking, he moved them to the library and called for Kreacher. "Master Harry calls for Kreacher?" "Yes, could you please bring us tea and some biscuits?" Harry asked. "Of course Master." They settled on Hermione's favorite couch and Harry began talking. "Hermione love, I just can't believe that Ron did that. I mean, I can believe it. But it just disgusts me to my core. He is my best friend, but sometimes I just want to punch him in the face." Harry kept on in that vein until Kreacher returned with the tea. Harry played mother, and made her tea exactly how she always likes it. "Thanks Harry, you are just too good to me. I am sorry that you had to kick Ron out like that" Hermione started before he interrupted her: "Stop. Right now. You know you are my sister and Ron is my brother, but he knows better than that. He has been drinking too much, and has just been bringing everyone down around him. Lavender has always been a jealous slag. I am so sorry you had to see that, but just know that I love you and will always protect you." After more along those lines, Harry had finally gotten Hermione to calm down and actually fall asleep on the couch. He sighed heavily, thinking of all that she had been through. He just wanted her to finally be okay. She thought she was hiding her depression well, but he knew that she had been getting worse. He hoped that maybe with Ron being gone and officially out of her life in any romantic way that she could finally start moving forward.
The next day Ginny came over bright and early. She opened Hermione's bedroom door before jumping on her bed and waking her up. "Get up sleepy butt! Today we are going shooooppppiinnnggg!" Hermione just groaned and tried to roll over. "No no no, none of that shit. I don't care that my brother is a walking dick-you ARE going to come with me to find my wedding dress. And while we are out, you are also going to pick out your bridesmaid dress. We are meeting Luna, Fleur, and Angelina at that cute little café' that just opened up in Diagon Ally for a light breakfast before we get started." As she was talking, Ginny had been pulling the covers off of Hermione and herding her towards the bathroom. She flicked her wand at the shower, turning the water on to warm for Hermione. "You have an hour to be showered and dressed before I come in here and drag you out-clothed or not. Love you!"Ginny patted Hermione on the butt as she skipped out the room to see Harry.
After a quick shower, Hermione dried her hair with a lovely spell she had learned from Luna that tamed her usually unruly curls to be significantly more manageable-they actually were quite beautiful now that she made the effort. She still laughed about how much Sleakeazy's she had to use back in fourth year to achieve what she now could manage with a simple wave of her wand. 'I love magic,' she thought as she slipped on a cute summer dress with a floral print and some sandals. Ron had never appreciated her efforts with her hair or make up, he didn't really notice much ever actually. So Hermione just applied a simple amount to her face because she knew she would be wearing it to the wedding. With a final glance in the mirror, she headed down to face the day.
Harry greeted Hermione from his seat in the kitchen. Ginny kissed Harry once last time and extricated herself from his lap before grabbing Hermione's hand and dragging her out the door with a parting shot of "have fun at the Burrow with Mum yelling at my idiot brother all day!" After they shut the front door and prepared to apparate Ginny hugged her and asked "Are you okay? I can tell the girls to shove off about Ron today. I know he is the biggest prat in the world, but he's part of the wedding so I know they will bring him up." "Yeah, that would be great Gin. I know he is a complete ass, but I want this to be about your wedding, not my breakup." She responded. "Alright, let's get going then!" and Ginny spun in place and was off with a loud *pop*. Hermione took a breath and reminded herself that these were her friends too, and they would support her no matter what-she could do it. Ron wasn't going to ruin Ginny's wedding for her.
Once she arrived at the apparition spot in Diagon Alley, she saw Ginny waving her down from the entrance to the little café'. She made her way through the light crowd that was already starting their shopping. Inside the café' the others were already waiting on them. Luna jumped up to hug Hermione and whispered in her ear "it looks like the nargles around you have finally gone, you'll be able to think more clearly now." Hermione just hugged her back and said "It is great to see you too Luna." She greeted Fleur and Angelina warmly as well, and they sat down for a nice breakfast. Throughout breakfast they managed to keep the conversation light. It was just wedding plans, and catching up as they hadn't seen each other in a few months. After they finished and paid the bill, they made their way to the dress shop. On the way they passed a news stand selling Daily Prophet's. Hermione had missed hers this morning with Ginny waking her up so viciously so she grabbed one before heading inside the shop. They were greeted by Madam Malkin, who directed them to the back of the shop where the robe material was kept so Ginny could pick out what colors she wanted for the bridesmaids. She had come in the prior week to give Madam Malkin her measurements, as she was having a custom set of robes made-Mrs. Weasley wouldn't allow Ginny to wear something old, she was her only daughter and was marrying the Boy Who Lived after all! After they found a few they wanted to try on, they went back to the changing areas. After trying on countless robes, they finally found a gorgeous periwinkle set of robes that looked gorgeous on all of them! Madam Malkin and her assistants took their measurements and they all went to leave the shop. Hermione looked at the clock before they walked outside, "Oh my gosh! It is already 3 o'clock! Where has the day gone?" Fleur laughed and said "Oh Hermione, zis ees expected! Ze dresses vill take ze whole day!" The rest of them joined in at the incredulous look on Hermione's face. They all said their goodbyes. Luna was meeting Neville for dinner at Longbottom Manor that evening and Fleur needed to pick up Victoire from her parents. Angelina was going with Ginny and Hermione to the Burrow for dinner that night. Ginny took Hermione's arm as they made their way back to the apparition point. Once they arrived at the Burrow, Ginny ran inside to start telling Molly all about the dresses. Hermione made her way in to the living room, and sat down with Angelina who kissed George in greeting. As those two started to catch up on the day, Hermione was finally able to crack open the copy of the Prophet she had now been denied reading for almost the whole day. The headline screamed out to her "Marriage Law passes at Emergency Meeting of the Wizengamot." Hermione couldn't believe what she was reading, it was just yesterday that they were saying it was only gaining traction! Now it was actually passed? As she read through the article she realized the air around her was getting harder to breathe. Each line made her more and more sick until she finally reached the end. She re-read the article three times before she gasped up at Angelina and George "We are going to be forced to marry before the year is out!"