Two Beds and a Coffee Machine

By

Sannikex

To Louise

Because you are you and that is all we could ever ask for. Happy Birthday!

Chapter Four

Another bruise to try and hide
Another alibi to write
Another lonely highway in the black of night
There's hope in the darkness
I know youre gonna make it

Ron heard them before he saw them. He ran into the kitchen and stopped dead at the sight. A man that he could hardly recognize as Viktor Krum stood with his hand fisted in Hermione's hair, bending her head backwards and his wand pointed at her throat while shouting at her. They both stilled when he entered.

"Ron!"

If he had kept his wand at Hermione's throat Ron wouldn't have moved but he turned against Ron who was quicker and far more sober and he sent a body locking spell before Viktor opened his mouth. Hermione bit down a cry as the hair he had fisted followed when he fell. What had she done, brought Viktor to Ron's! Shyly she looked up. But he wasn't looking at her; he gripped Viktor by his shirt and lifted him like a rag doll before carelessly putting him in a chair. With controlled movements he conjured a rope and tied the stiff man to the piece of furniture.

"Ron?" He didn't answer or look up he just concentrated on the ropes. Then he straightened and she saw the fury in his eyes. He lifted the lockingspell.

"Don't believe whatever she says, this is the first time...this happens! I was worried, she ran away from home with the kids, yes, the kids! And I was worried..." his hectic speech was interrupted by Ron's fist landing on his jaw.

"Don't you dare talking about Hermione like that! You're not fit to look at her, you bastard!" Viktor looked darkly at Ron.

"And you are? She chose me over you!"

"And obviously she chose wrong", came a voice from the doorway.

"Harry?" She couldn't believe it. Was that Harry Potter, the skinny boy with broken glasses and pathetically large clothes she'd known? The man in the doorway was a very handsome, very dangerous man. He flashed a sad smile at her and then his eyes turned to ice when they reached Viktor. For a moment she was sure that he'd kill her husband on the spot. But he didn't, he pulled a pair of handcuffs from his belt and she recognized the mark fastened on it. He was an Auror! Her eyes filled with tears when she saw the number of stars, a first-class Auror. Just like he had wanted to. Harry put the handcuffs on and put a silencing charm on Viktor with cold rage in his eyes. Ron did nothing to hide his fury and stood, shaking, in front of his former idol. Then he turned around and sunk down on the floor his blue eyes turning from furious to worried the moment they settled on her. He wasn't angry with her for dragging Viktor here.

"Are you all right, Hermione?" She opened her mouth to say yes but all that came out was a weak,

"No." He could have managed tears, anger, anything but not the quiet 'no'. He opened his arms and she took him by surprise, she scrambled up in his lap, pressing herself against him, putting her arms around his neck. He felt a prickling feeling behind his eyes. He bent his head in the nape of her neck.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione. I'm so sorry."

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They sat by the kitchen table, the three of them. They used to be inseparable. She knew from the gossip she'd overheard that most people had referred to them as the Trio. But the bonds that had grown strong for so long had been ripped little by little for such a long time. Though when she sat with them in silence by Ron's kitchen table Hermione thought that maybe, just maybe they could overcome the gulfs between them. It had been Victor's fault, but not only. If she'd really wanted she would have found a way. But she hadn't wanted them to see her as she was then. She'd been ashamed what she had become and unconsciously taken a part of the guilt. But she didn't want to think about it. Not now. Not later. Not ever.

"So I read in the paper that you married Luna", she managed a shaky smile and tried to keep the wonder she felt out of her voice. She'd always thought it would be Ginny and Harry and she felt her heart bleeding that she hadn't been there to see why he chose Luna. Her best friend had gotten married and she hadn't been there. When she saw his grim face soften her tears were close again.

"Yeah. Best thing I've ever done." He smiled and continued, "And I met your children tonight. They seem to be great kids even with…" He stopped himself and started fresh with a nervous look her way. "Your Henry and my daughter found each other pretty quickly. Hermione felt her chin drop. Children? She'd never thought about that her friends might have children as well. And Harry, a father? She didn't doubt he was a good one but the thought was so unreal. In her mind he had always been the young man she'd left behind.

"You've got a child?" Harry nodded and smiled even wider. If Viktor had once looked at their children the way Harry looked when he thought about his she could have forgiven him for many things.

"Two. Lily and Hope, seven and five. Hope and Henry hit off immediately." She felt the tears start to run again as she smiled.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I can't seem to stop doing this! It's just; I've missed so much! I should have been there, when you got engaged, when you married, when you became a first-class Auror, when Lily was born, all her birthdays, when Hope was born and all her birthdays, all your birthdays, all Luna's! And Ron when you got promoted, when you turned twenty, when you turned thirty, when you threw a party, when you didn't clean your house. I should have been here to nag on you and...just been there." She finished lamely.

"We don't blame you, Hermione", Ron's voice sounded thick and he kept his eyes on the same spot on the wall, where he had fastened it when Harry's colleagues had fetched Viktor. Harry rose from his seat on the other side of the table and sat beside her.

"Hermione you weren't there but you and Ron were all the family I had when I went to Hogwarts. I couldn't just forget you because you weren't there so I asked to have you as godmother to Lily even without your consent. The Ministry agreed as you didn't live in the wizarding world." Her tears started to fall faster and with her best friends' arms around her she cried over the years in her life that wasn't hers.

"Here." Ron handed her a bag with ice for her bruised hand and sat down facing her. They were still in the kitchen with time ticking by towards midnight. Harry had left to take care of Viktor at the Ministry and with a final hug he'd left them to an awkward silence. "Give me your hand, I'll heal it for you." She looked up and met his eyes. His voice was hoarse and he had a shadow of red beard. He looked tired. Her hand in his was so small. He was so grown up. This Ron Weasley was so different from the short-tempered, somewhat shy teenager she'd known and yet, he was so very much still that boy she had loved. He mumbled a spell under his breath and the bruises on her hand disappeared.

"Thanks. Where did you learn healing?" She pulled her hand back from his grasp. He shrugged and started playing with his wand, shooting little red sparks over the table.

"Well, you gotta know a few when you have a Quidditch team to look after. Many injuries."

The silence stood between them like a wall again. She fiddled with her healed fingers and sent him a look. He had his light blue eyes, like a summer sky, fastened on his wand as he twirled it with long fingers. Everything had seemed too long for him when he was younger she recalled. Too long arms, nose, feet, legs. His body had been mismatched and just awkward. Now his face was...strong. He wasn't handsome, his nose was still a bit too long and it was crooked, like he had broken it sometime. His hair wasn't orange any longer, the color was deeper and it was slightly longer than he'd used to have it. It fell across his brow that was a bit creaked, like he wrinkled it when he concentrated. His skin was slightly tanned and rough, he was probably outside a lot. He had a strong jaw and she wondered if the muscle in it still tensed when he was angry. His mouth was ordinary but when he smiled, flashed that easy grin it was really hard not to smile back. All in all he was a fetching sight with his towering height and red hair.

"Ron..." He looked up and desperately she fought to not look down. "I'm sorry I brought Viktor here...I'll...I'll move as soon as I can, I don't know what I was thinking appearing on your doorstep with three children in tow, I just..."

"Hermione. Hermione, listen to me, there is nothing that could make me happier than that you turned to me when you needed help. You can stay here as long as you want with your children. Besides, I'm happy that bastard turned up here, if he hadn't I'd have to hunt him up from whatever hole he'd hid in. But now he's off to a very nice and long prison vacation and after that I hope he rots in hell!" She didn't like the viciousness in his voice. It didn't sound like Ron. She rose a bit shakily, she was so tired. She wanted to lie down and pull a cover over her head and sleep, forget and not wake up until everything was fine. But she couldn't. Three children depended on her strength.

"I have to get my children."

"I can get them for you if you want." His anger died just as quickly as it had bloomed up.

She opened her mouth to say no but the picture of the whole Weasley clan, all the questions, the fuss, the pity appeared in her mind.

"Yes. Thank you. I don't know how I can ever repay you, Ron." He smiled sadly.

"We're friends, Hermione."

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So, how was chapter four?