Chapter 4
The wind swirled around her, decaying blossoms circling aimlessly on the concrete. She glanced up at Ginny and Harry's house, purchased with the large inheritance that Harry's parents had left him. It was nice house, smallish but tasteful. Hermione thought it suited them.
Wind blew the floating flower petals into her face as she walked up the path towards the door. She walked with purpose, but as soon as she reached the destination she hesitated. Hermione brushed her hair back since the wind had left it ruffled. She straightened her coat, and then her pants. She didn't really think Harry and Ginny would care what she looked like, but it was the only valid excuse she had to avoid pressing the doorbell. Finally she couldn't delay any longer. Hermione reached out a hand, took a deep breath, and pushed it. She listened anxiously as the bell reverberated around the house, the sound, enhanced by a spell, went to find someone who might open the door. From the sound of it, the someone was upstairs.
Hermione was just in process of trying to get yet another stray blossom out of her bushy hair when the door was pulled open to reveal her favorite ginger. Ginny smiled at her friend, who was standing rather awkwardly in the doorway. "Hey, Hermione," Ginny started. Hermione opened her mouth to say something, then turned and started walking back down the path. "Hermione!" Ginny called running after the other girl. Ginny stopped Hermione with a hand on the shoulder. "What's with you?"
"I…" Hermione started to cry. Ginny hugged her.
"What's wrong, Hermione? Tell me," Ginny said soothingly.
"I… I broke up with Ron," Hermione hiccuped. Ginny held her back and took a good look at her face.
"Good for you," Ginny said at last. When Hermione didn't say anything, Ginny started leading her into the house. "I'm glad you finally listened to me. Come on, I'll make tea, and you can tell me about it."
Hermione had barely shuffled through door when Harry appeared in the hallway. "Ginny," Harry began, a shocked looked on his face. "You didn't."
Ginny looked at him defiantly, still maneuvering Hermione towards the kitchen. "How could you?" Harry whispered behind them.
"They weren't right for each other," Ginny snapped, pushing Hermione down into a chair.
From the living room, the floo chimed. "Harry? Ginny?" Ron's scratchy voice echoed from the fireplace. They all froze, Hermione panicking the most.
"Fuck," Ginny muttered. She made to pull Hermione out of the kitchen, which was conjoined with the living room, but wasn't quick enough, and Ron froze in his tracks catching sight of Hermione's mascara stained face. Hermione slowly met his eyes, which instead of being filled with pain or anger, was simply the saddest emotion of all.
Defeat.
Harry grimaced as soon as he stepped in from the hallway and took in the situation. Harry and Ginny took one look at each other, nodded, and respectively grabbed Ron and Hermione by the arm to immediately apparate away.
Hermione was still numb when she and Ginny appeared on Bill and Fleur's doorstep at Shell Cottage. Ginny knocked on the door, looking back at Hermione concernedly.
"Ginny?" Bill asked confusedly when he opened the door. "What's going on?"
She motioned back to Hermione, who was staring out towards the sand dunes, trails of tears drying on her face. "They broke up," Ginny said simply.
Bill frowned, but knew better than to ask his burning questions. "Does she need a place to stay?"
"I think we'll stay here for tonight, if you, Victoire, and Fleur wouldn't mind?" Ginny asked.
"Vicky's asleep, but I'm sure she'd love to see her favorite aunties tomorrow morning. I'm sure Fleur wouldn't mind, as long as you don't get in her way when she's craving chipolatas. Pregnancy does weird things to women," Bill chuckled softly.
"Well, as I'm sure she's told you, it takes a lot to grow an entire human being inside of you," Ginny smirked. "I'm going to take Hermione out on a walk, but we'll be back within an hour."
Bill nodded. "I'll have some food ready. I'm sure she'll be hungry."
Ginny made her way back to Hermione, who still hadn't moved.
They stood there together, looking out onto the beach as the waves slowly lapped at the sand in a cold peacefulness.
"It's funny isn't it?" Hermione croaked after a while, her throat raw from sobs. "Nothing that happens to any of us really matters in the large scheme of things. The wind will keep on blowing, the grass will keep rattling, the sand pulled farther and farther into the water, coaxed by the careful tugging of the waves. It's all so meaningless. So… meaningless," Hermione trailed off. Ginny grabbed Hermione's cold, limp hand.
"Come," Ginny said softly, pulling them down the trail that led to the beach.
They walked like that for a while. Hand in hand, contemplating the detached and uncaring nature of the world. There was a certain iciness in the beauty of the stars overhead, twinkling without a care for the going-ons in the world that the night sky lay draped over like a shroud.
"I took your advice," Hermione said once they had walked a little over a kilometer. "I'm not right for Ron."
Ginny looked at Hermione, who was still barely present, eyes not really seeing the scenery in front of her. "And Ron's not right for you. You both deserve better."
"I love Ron," Hermione said suddenly. "I never stopped loving him. I never will."
Ginny looked at her sadly. "But because you love him, you need to let both of you have the chance to find someone else."
Hermione didn't answer for a while, drawing circles in the sand with her shoes.
"I know," she finally said, so softly that Ginny barely caught it. "I know."
Ginny nodded, dropping Hermione's hand as Hermione hugged herself. "It's just-" Hermione's voice broke.
"Just what?" Ginny prompted.
"How could this be good?" Hermione cried out. "How could… causing so much pain… did you see his eyes Ginny?" Hermione turned to her, eyes wide and spilling over. "So much pain… and I caused all of that. Me. How- how can this be right?"
"The right things don't come easily," Ginny reasoned. "You know that. More than anyone."
"I know but… I did that," Hermione grit out, tugging on her jumper. "I did that to him."
"No, Hermione," Ginny put her hand on Hermione's chin and forced Hermione to look her in the eye. "You are not the cause of that pain. You are exposing that pain - the pain that would have been there if you two had stayed together. You are ripping off the mask to give it a chance to heal properly by acknowledging the problems underneath the surface. Ron needs that. You need that.
"You two love each other. You'll bounce back from this - it'll just take time. You need to find out who you are, separate from Ron. Find yourself, Hermione," Ginny sighed, her voice breaking.
"It kills me, so much," Ginny said softly, her eyes beginning to water as well. "You and Ron, both such good, honest people, lost in the war and healing together. But you lost yourself on the road to recovering, Hermione. You… you haven't been Hermione Granger for a long time."
Hermione looked at Ginny questioningly. "What… what do you mean?"
"You and Ron were together day one after the war. And you have been ever since. You healed together, leaned on each other, so much to the point where you weren't Hermione Granger, and he wasn't Ronald Weasley. You two were Ron and Hermione. There was barely a way to distinguish between the two of you. You thought the same thoughts, you wanted the same things… I missed you Hermione. You always had to check with Ron about every little decision. You really couldn't live without each other.
"At first, I thought that's what love was supposed to be about. To really become one person. I envied that. I looked at myself and how frustrated I was that Harry still didn't reach out to me after a month. Three months. Almost a year. I thought… I thought that healing together, the way you and Ron did, was what Harry and I should have had. But I was wrong.
"Because when Harry finally did come around, he wasn't holding all of that baggage. Our relationship wasn't built upon crying over Fred, or mourning the loss of Colin Creevey. We started fresh. We started anew. Our conversations weren't about Voldemort or what had happened while you were hunting horcruxes or how we were being tortured at Hogwarts. He had finally left the past in the past, and he helped me see that, too. And that's why we work.
"But you and Ron," Ginny shook her head. "You never decided anything without each other. And yes, most of the time, that worked out. But then you started to suffer. He started to suffer. It didn't work. You need to be your own person, Hermione. You don't need to be Ron's other half. Hermione Granger is more than enough. If someone can't see that and can't love Hermione Granger for who she is, then you need to get out."
Hermione looked at Ginny solemnly. "I don't even know who I am anymore."
"You are Hermione Granger. You get to decide who you are. And that's what this is about. Choosing to be who you want to be," Ginny informed her.
"I think I'm going to take the job," Hermione said suddenly. "I'd love to go to Italy. I'd love to build bridges between the Italian and British ministries. I think this will be intellectually, socially, and personally stimulating. It's meaningful… to me at least."
"If it means something to you, then it's meaningful," Ginny snapped, saddened by how much of Ron's approval Hermione had hung onto for the last years.
"It's meaningful," Hermione smiled sadly. "Come on, let's get some food."
"I'm proud of you," Ginny smiled. There was a small flash of the old Hermione - making a decision rather than questioning if Ron would like to eat as well. It was just the beginning of a new road to recovery.
When they returned to Shell Cottage, Fleur had set up an enormous plate of seafood for both Hermione and Ginny, neither of them missing the obvious reference to other, better fish in the sea. Fleur tutted over Hermione's disheveled appearance.
"See what zis boy did to you?" Fleur muttered under her breath, her English having improved over the years, but her accent still heavy. "Never beleeved Ronald was mature enough to handle ze likes of an eentelligent woman like you. He ees still just a boy. No man would ever treat his woman in ze abhorrent manner he did." Fleur made no effort to hide her disapproval of Ron's attitude and behavior. "You should get een touch with Viktor. He ees still single, and asks after you ofteen."
Bill merely sighed. "What I don't understand, Hermione, is why you stuck with him even though he abandoned you and Harry." Bill looked at her strangely. "He's constantly leaving you. You should've seen that red flag a mile away."
"What?" Ginny asked quietly, deadly tension filling up the room. Bill cursed quietly under his breath, he had promised Ron that none of his other family members would ever find out about his moment of betrayal. "Ron abandoned you and Harry? On the hunt for horcruxes?" Ginny guessed, fuming. When no one said otherwise, Ginny let out a string of curse words that the young parents were glad Victoire was not awake to hear.
Hermione winced. "He was under the influence of the locket at the time -"
"Don't make excuses for him," Ginny snapped, cutting Hermione off. "You and Harry were under the locket's influence at times, too, right?"
Hermione merely nodded. "And you never abandoned Harry? And he never abandoned you?"
"No," Hermione confirmed.
"Then what in Merlin's name gives Ron the right and the excuse to leave you two to fend for yourselves?" Ginny's voice began to rise.
"Ginny, we are all allowed a few moments of weakness as human beings," Hermione appeased.
"All I hear is excuse after excuse!" Ginny hissed so as not to wake Victoire. "What would he have to do for it to be a deal breaker for you? Would he have to cheat on you again? Or would you still make up some bullshit rationalization? Would he have to murder someone to get you to wake up? Since when did you lose all of your self-respect and conviction? What happened to your rational mind?"
Hermione stood up, determined to prove Ginny that she was still her old self. "Don't wait for me, I'm going to the Ministry to secure my job," Hermione said curtly, about to head towards the Floo.
"Hermione, stop," Fleur blocked her before ushering her upstairs. "Ze Ministry ees not open yet - it ees practically midnight! Rest tonight, zecure your position tomorrow!"
Hermione walked down the long hallways to Kingsley's office, paranoid that she might run into Ron or Harry as she passed the Aurors' offices. Luckily, she faced no mishaps, and was entering his office before any other wizard or witch could spot her near her ex's department.
"Good morning, Hermione," Kingsley's voice rumbled as she sat down across from him.
"Good morning," she returned awkwardly as she noticed the various publications on his desk. Witch Weekly's headline screamed SPLIT OF THE CENTURY: Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley Call Off Engagement As Quickly As Harry Potter's Lightning Scar! alongside the Prophet's DARLING DUO DESTROYED!
Kingsley traced her line of sight to the gossip rags, and promptly set them on fire. Hermione jumped back, startled, but then smiled appreciatively at him. "Thanks," Hermione said softly.
"I would offer my condolences, but I expect a better way to look at the situation is with congratulations," Kingsley smiled, waving his wand so that a bottle of fine nettle wine appeared next to her, as a gift. "Congratulations on your newfound freedom, Hermione. And should I be so uncouth as to say… 'Good riddance!'"
Hermione smiled sadly, but before she could say anything, Kingsley continued. "Now, I expect you're bringing me news about a certain job position?"
"Yes, actually," Hermione smiled, relieved in the change of subject to professional matters. "I've decided to take on the job."
Kingsley let out an audible breath of relief. "Thank Merlin, you've saved us all," Kingsley smiled.
"So, when do I start?" Hermione asked.
"Technically, you could start next week-" Hermione began to say she'd be ready, but Kingsley held up a hand. "Let me finish."
Hermione held her tongue.
"Given the recent developments in your personal life, I suggest you wrap things up with your current job, hand in your notice, and take a week off to vacation. Goodness knows you already have enough stress as it is, and I can guarantee you that ending a job and starting another is quite unnecessary tension to deal with right now. I will inform Mr. Zabini and Mr. Malfoy that you'll have your answer to them within a week, but that in light of recent events, it will take you a little longer to decide. In the mean time, I'd like for you to brainstorm potential science consultants that you believe might be able to work with the three of you. Or, if you don't believe you need a science advisor, then perhaps prepare reasons why one would be unnecessary so you can discuss it with your two co-workers when you get back."
Hermione waited until she was sure Kingsley was done, and then agreed. "Thank you for being so thoughtful, Kingsley."
"Oh Hermione, of all the people in this Ministry who deserve to be thought of, it's you." Kingsley smiled good-naturedly.
Ginny looked up as Harry walked through the front door heavily. She heard his familiar stomping to get the mud off of his shoes, always forgetting that he could just scourgify his boots, rather than shake it off the muggle way.
"Long day at work?" she called as he entered the living area, where she was writing down a few notes for her growing role at the Prophet as a sports columnist.
"Yeah," Harry mumbled, and she frowned. Typically, Harry at least made an effort to inform her of the mundaneness of the day, even if nothing else really happened.
"There's some food left on the table," Ginny informed him, and Harry merely nodded, mumbling a 'thanks' so quiet she barely caught it.
She heard Harry's chair scrape the floor as he sat down. Silence, beyond his slow clinking of silverware, was paramount. Ginny got up from her armchair and made her way to the kitchen, eying Harry carefully. He kept his eyes downcast, altogether too focused on his meal.
"What gives, Harry?" Ginny's voice broke the silence, and he jumped a little, startled.
"Er, nothing Gin," Harry muttered. "I'm just tired."
"Bat spleens," Ginny called him out as she took the chair opposite him. "I've seen you come back from fighting over thirty ex-Death Eaters, and you were never this sullen," Ginny pointed out. "What's going on?"
Harry sighed, pushing his food away from him and fidgeting with his glasses. He scooched his chair back a little, looking everywhere but directly at her.
Ginny's heart crept up in her throat. She knew the signs.
"You're… you're breaking up with me," Ginny croaked softly.
Harry flinched, but didn't deny it. The silence stretched between them.
"Why?" Ginny asked softly, when she worked up the courage to finally voice one of the thousands of questions crowding her mind.
Harry cleared his throat. "I…" he seemed to struggle with his words. "You know, with Ron and Hermione-"
"What do they have anything to do with us?" Ginny asked, confused.
"You… you broke them up," Harry said softly.
Ginny suddenly understood. "Technically, I didn't."
"But you talked to Hermione…" Harry trailed off.
"That's all I did. Talk to her."
"You definitely pushed her to break up with Ron. Don't you see them Gin? They're miserable."
"I may have voiced my opinion, but it was ultimately Hermione's choice and Hermione's choice only," Ginny snapped. "They might be miserable now, but they're better off than being miserable with three children and ten years of suffering in their marriage."
"But how do you know for sure that they wouldn't have had an amazing marriage?" Harry queried. "You can't know the future… they might have worked out some of the bumps along the way and become stronger because of it. Now they'll never have the chance," Harry accused.
"If they're really meant for each other, they'll be back together before the end of the month," Ginny pointed out. "They do love each other, Harry, but they fight all the time and can barely compromise on their wedding date, for Merlin's sake! He's never going to approve of her career ambitions, and she's already tired of his lack of motivation. He wants a stay-at-home wife, and she wants to run for Minister of Magic. If they can't even figure out how long their engagement is going to last, how do you expect they'll be able to figure the big problems later? Finances? Children? Education?" Ginny pointed out vehemently.
"It was still none of your business to meddle," Harry said softly.
"Of course it was! He's my brother, and she's one of my best friends. I couldn't stand by and watch them make such a huge mistake. Real friends watch each others' backs, and even if there's pain involved, if it's in their best interest, you do whatever you have to do," Ginny countered passionately.
"I just… I just can't agree," Harry said sadly. "I don't think you should have pushed Hermione to break up with him. I think you should have encouraged her to keep at it, because none of us are perfect, Gin."
"She deserves better than a selfish, unkind, insensitive, cheating arse," Ginny's voice rang out loud in the emptiness of the rest of their house. Harry looked at Ginny, shocked.
"Ron never cheated on Hermione," Harry defended his friend. "They were on break!"
"Hermione never agreed to an open relationship!" Ginny shrieked. "They needed time to cool down, not date and screw other people behind each others' backs!"
"How could you say such nasty things about your brother?" Harry was completely taken aback, shaking his head. "How could you do something so cruel to both Hermione and Ron? Even if you had the very best intentions in mind, it still wasn't your relationship! You had no right!"
Ginny knew Harry too well. And she knew that he had already made up his mind, and he wouldn't be changing it for a long time. She stood up suddenly.
"I get it Harry. You can't look at me anymore and not see the woman who broke your best friends up. You just can't live with it. Can't live with me," Ginny clarified for him. He tried to protest, but it was feeble, at best.
Ginny held up a hand, and Harry ceased to talk. "Look, I'll have all my stuff out of your house tomorrow morning. I'll sleep on the couch tonight."
"No," Harry interjected. "You sleep on the bed, I'll take the couch. You can have the house Gin, I still have Grimmauld-"
"It was your parents' money," Ginny rebutted. "You own this place. And don't try to protest, or no one will be using this house, and it'll collect dust. Just… let me have some control over this last part, all right?"
"Okay," Harry acknowledged that that was the least he could do for her now.
By the next morning, Ginny had already shrunken down her possessions and stored them in her pockets. Harry stumbled sleepily into the kitchen, his hair an utter disarray as he blinked at her fully dressed, ready to leave figure.
He frowned. "Ginny… maybe you shouldn't leave. I think we can work this out."
Ginny shook her head. "You made your mind up yesterday. Let's just… part ways while we can mutually agree to move on. Don't make this any harder than it is."
Harry nodded, looking like he was regretting everything he said last night. Ginny sighed, approaching him to hug him. As his arms wrapped around her, she inhaled his scent. It was so familiar, his smell enveloping her senses and his strong arms holding her close. But it was the end.
She kissed him lightly on the cheek and moved towards the Floo. She had already sent word to Hermione that she needed a place to stay for a while, and Hermione was more than happy to have some non-judgemental company. Ginny turned suddenly to Harry.
"Just…" Ginny bit her lip. "Just let me know if you ever change your mind, you know? That you'll be able to see me again for me, rather than the wedge between Ron and Hermione."
Harry nodded silently. He seemed to be doing that a lot, recently. Before Ginny could convince herself otherwise, she threw down the Floo Powder, disappearing to Hermione's flat in a whirl of green flames.
The term "media circus" was a drastic understatement once word of Harry and Ginny's break up got out. Both darling duos destroyed in less than a weekend? The rumor mills were churning out one ridiculous tale after another, growing more and more elaborate with each variation.
Hermione snorted as she looked at the Witch Weekly's "insider" quote, an anonymous source claiming that Hermione and Harry had had an affair, breaking up the two couples. Anyone who knew Harry and Hermione would have cringed. That was like incest.
But even incest didn't stop the most tacky of rumors - another gossip rag, WonderWitch, claimed that Ginny and Ron had had the affair! Hermione gagged, barely keeping in the contents of her stomach.
The day that Hermione gave Louis her one week notice, he actually smiled. Hermione was taken aback, had she really been that horrible of an employee?
"Congratulations on your new position, Hermione," Louis said genuinely, shocking Hermione to the core. "I have no doubt that your dedication, compassion, and intelligence will serve you and the entirety of Italy and Britain very well." Well, maybe he didn't have a horrible opinion of her. Another thought occurred to Hermione.
"This isn't your way of commenting on my disengagement from Ron, is it?" Hermione asked suspiciously. "Though I have to admit, it's rather a roundabout way, which is totally uncharacteristic of you."
Louis smiled slightly, a twinkle in his eye. "I believe, if I wanted to comment about your personal life, all I'd have to do is step out the door," he motioned to the entrance to their department offices, where hundreds of reporters were attempting to find ways to evade the magical wards that had been set up. Hermione had laughed wholeheartedly. At least she now knew that Louis had a sense of humor, after all this time. Perhaps there was a silver lining.
Hermione peeked her head around the corner of the hallway and living room, hearing Ginny opening and closing the front door to Hermione's flat. Hermione laughed at Ginny's unusually disheveled appearance, hair slick with sweat and clinging to her face from Quidditch practice.
"How was practice?" Hermione grinned.
"Painful," Ginny gritted as she stored her Hawkhaste broom in Hermione's closet, her right shoulder and hips aching. "I'm taking some time off this week to clear my head. I couldn't focus well today."
Hermione made a noise of agreement. Things hadn't been the same after suddenly removing someone who had been such a large part of their lives and daily routines. The insane media coverage and downright harassment also didn't help.
"It kind of feels all like a bad dream, you know?" Hermione asked quietly, and Ginny nodded emphatically as they walked towards the living room, where Nessa was waiting patiently. "As if we're about to wake up soon and everything will be back to normal."
"I know," Ginny affirmed. "I felt like I needed a break from everything, so I decided to take a week off of vacation time. Perhaps that'll get the reporters off of the Harpies' and my back. I'm sick of it all."
"Well, since Hermione's taking the week off as well, and I have leftover vacation time, I say we ought to treat ourselves to a wonderful spa weekend," Nessa suggested with a grin.
Ginny grinned. "Do you have a certain place in mind?"
"Only the best for Nessa Sterling's friends," Nessa laughed.
"I don't know… I ought to start preparing for my move to Italy, as well as researching potential science consultant candidates-" Hermione began, but Ginny cut her off.
"Honestly Hermione, when is the last time you've had a break? It's been ages - let's do something fun, just with the three of us." Ginny raised an eyebrow as Hermione's expression appeared that she was unconvinced.
"Look, Hermione, if you don't recharge, you're not going to do your job as well when you start. And you know how important first impressions are," Ginny smiled as Hermione sighed, conceding.
Nessa clapped her hands together excitedly. "We're going to France, girls!"
AN: Hello! Finals are over, which means more time for fanfiction! Thanks for the kind and helpful reviews - it was good to hear that Romione's end was believable and justified. Another couple that I am just so-so on is Hinny... I felt like their relationship was somewhat right but somewhat wrong. I've always had the nagging feeling that if Harry wasn't "Harry Potter," that Ginny wouldn't have been so interested in him. I think it works, to an extent, but I decided to experiment with splitting them up, this time around. What do you guys think? Please drop a review!