In The Garden of Dragons Chapter 7

A/N: Woo! I'm getting another chapter out tonight as well. That'll be three chapters for you guys in one night! I'm finally getting my groove back ya'll! Once again, thank you all for your kind reviews and suggestions. I love you all. You complete me. -MoonlitShadow

With a loud crack Hermione found herself in an alley off the side of the muggle apartment complex that she currently lived in. Wiping her tears on her shirt, she sniffled and pushed her hair behind her ears before pulling out her keys and making her way inside. The door man was nowhere to be seen and she was definitely thankful for that small blessing seeing as how she looked like a wreck at the moment. "Damn wizards and they're bloody insistence to hurt witch's feelings…" She murmured to herself as she climbed the stairs up to the third floor where she shakily put her keys into the lock of her apartment door and jiggled them about until the door gave way into her small living room. She was surprised to see that the lights were already on and the smell of freshly brewed coffee wafted over through the kitchen's doorway.

Her brows furrowed and she reached for her wand only to hear a familiar voice coming from over on the couch. "Oi! Don't you even bloody think of cursing me, Mione. I'm only trying to help." Ron's voice said making her sigh and her shoulders slump as she made her way further inside. Not even bothering to hang her coat on the coat rack she kicked off her heels and met the green eyes of her ex-lover and best friend. "Bloody hell you look awful. Good thing Ginny called me." He said as his eyes swept over her slim figure. Hermione blew a piece of hair out of her face before trudging over to the couch and sitting beside him. Ron smirked and held out his arms to her which she went into without a bit of hesitation. "So who the hell am I going to have to bloody murder this time?" He asked as he brushed his hand over her matted hair soothingly. Hermione shook her head and buried her face into his flannel shirt refusing to acknowledge that the last half hour even happened. "Hermione Jean. I'm not going to ask you again. Who the bloody hell do I need to murder for leaving you like this?" He asked slowly as if talking to a small child making Hermione roll her eyes. Pulling her face back slightly she spoke quietly hoping that perhaps he might not even hear her. "I've fallen in love and apparently gotten my heart handed to me in pieces." She said sadly as fresh tears began to pour from her eyes. Ron shushed her as he rocked her gently in his arms while she continued to sob. "Can I ask which wizard so I know who to tell Harry and the rest of the Aurors that we're erasing off the face of the bloody earth?" He joked making her sob even harder. Ron frowned and held her tighter knowing that this was a lot more serious than just some fling. "Hermione, who is it and what'd he do?" He asked gently as he pulled her chin up towards him so he could look her in the eyes. Hermione sniffled and knew that if anyone would understand it was Ron. Even if the wizard in question was one of his former enemies. "It's Malfoy. Blimey Ronald, I've fallen in love with Malfoy." She cried as she buried her head again quickly too fast to see Ron quirk an eyebrow down at her. She was surprised that he didn't say anything for a few moments and she worried if he was angry at her for showing their former enemy anything but hate. "Always was the heartbreak, that one." He murmured as he held her close and waited for her tears to turn into small hiccups. Trying to think of the best thing to say, Ron paused for a moment before shaking his head and looking down at his former girlfriend. "Malfoy may have been a right git in his past but whatever he did this time I'm sure he didn't bloody mean it." He said as Hermione quickly surfaced from his shirt and looked at him wide eyed. "Didn't bloody mean it?! Ronald he was with Astoria fucking Greengrass! He even kissed her! They looked like the perfect bloody pair that just made me want to hex them both into oblivion." She growled as she pushed away from him and got up off the couch to stalk off in the direction of the kitchen.

Ron ran a hand through his messy red hair before letting out a sigh and following after the angered witch. He found her in the kitchen leaning up against the counters with a mug of hot coffee clutched dangerously in her grasp. "Well did Malfoy know the way you felt about him before this? Cause if you didn't bloody tell the bloke then I wouldn't blame him for not knowing and seeking affection elsewhere." He mused as Hermione looked over at him with a scowl. "Of course he didn't know. I didn't bloody tell him that I liked him more than a business partner." She said as she slowly looked like she was beginning to realize her great mistake. "Oh good God Ron, I've bloody killed all chances that I'll ever have with him haven't I? Oh God I'm so fucking stupid…" She moaned as her coffee mug found its new home on her kitchen counter. Ron rolled his eyes at her dramatic interpretation of the loss of Malfoy's affection and knew that she was seriously blowing things out of proportion yet again. "Hermione, sit. I'm going to let in on the greatest secret known to man." He said as she reluctantly followed him and had a seat at the kitchen table. Ron was silent for a moment and clasped his hands in front of him while thinking of how to phrase it. Suddenly he looked over at her with the most honest look he could muster. "Hermione, men are dumbasses. We don't know what you bloody women are thinking unless you tell us in exact literal terms. If you do not do this, then I'm afraid we're going to revert back to our idiotic ways of grunting and weird little noises to communicate amongst ourselves." He said making Hermione snort with laughter. "Well of course I know that." She laughed as Ron nodded in agreement. "I figured you did. I just thought I ought to remind you in case you forgot. In any event, Mione there's nothing saying you can't bloody go show Malfoy exactly how much he means to you and see if you can't win the stupid bloke back. If I know Malfoy, he'll be dying to get rid of the Slytherin sluts and jump straight into your loving arms." He said with a smirk making Hermione brighten at his reasoning. "Ugh of course! You always know everything, you know that don't you, Ronald?" She said happily as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and jumped up to go prepare to confront the man in question herself. "Now if only I got that statement bloody recorded…" Ron mused as he watched her scamper off towards her bedroom to find more suitable attire for visiting the manor. "Blimey Malfoy, I do hope you know what you're doing. Because she certainly does." He muttered before he took another large sip of coffee and sat back enjoying the company and good feelings of finally being back around his best friend.