Sorry this chapter took so long to come out. Thanks to all the amazing reviewers!!

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BANG, CRASH, BOOM!!

"Ugh," sighed Ron. Teddy had knocked over a vase, his wizard's chess set, and his life-size cardboard cutout of the Chudley Cannon's seeker, Galvin Gudgeon. "Give it a rest, Teddy," Ron said weakly, not moving from the arm chair he had been all but living in since Hermione left, moving only to eat, sleep, and relieve himself.

Harry and Ginny were due back the next day. Unless, of course, they decided to extend their trip. Ron had just gotten the letter explaining the proposal and Ginny's enthusiastic acceptance.

Ron,

Guess what! Harry proposed! I'm so excited. I thought he never would. I love him so much. He proposed on a gondola! A GONDALA!! We're coming home tomorrow. How are you? Everything will be fine, I promise. Until then, man up and stop moping around. Tell everyone I say hello. I love you.

Love,

Ginny

Not like you couldn't see it coming. Everyone was ecstatic at the engagement, but Ron was finding it difficult to be happy about anything lately, begetting his family to accuse him of cynicism. Rightly, too. It was getting harder and harder to wake up and know he wouldn't see or hear from Hermione. Going on without her was like running in waist-deep water. Everything reminded him of her: her knack with charms--and everything else--, her melodic laugh, her smile, it was painful to know those things were missing from his life. They went, taking with them all of Ron's happiness. Everything will be fine, Ginny wrote; Ginny promised. Ron knew better. Nothing will be fine.

Later on, he sat at the kitchen table, everyone was there at dinner, talking about the engagement, or the new baby, all happy things, but Ron could find no joy in anything. The only happy things in his life were the memories of his time with Hermione: that awkward period towards the end of school, and all throughout their search for horcruxes that they were trying to get things going, ending in their first kiss, in the midst of the Battle of Hogwarts, and their first official date, the period that they spent ten straight days, never leaving each other's side, until Hermione had to go to a job interview in London, and Ron's brother was visiting for the day, before leaving again for another six month trip to Romania, making it mandatory to see him. These were the memories he kept revisiting, and the joy in them lacking to the real world, was what made him a cynic.

After dinner, he went up to his attic bedroom. Even though Hermione was quick to remove all her things and herself from the little cottage they had shared, the place still reminded him of her. Her scent was still on everything, and she couldn't well take the window seat she so loved, where she would sit and read and where the light shone on the pages, and on her soft skin, brightening her dark brown eyes, highlighting the gold in her brown locks. Silent tears ran down Ron's face, rolled down his cheeks, and into the corners of his mouth, where he could taste them, salty, melancholic. They continued on, not stopping until he fell into a restless sleep.

The next morning, Harry and Ginny appeared in the front lawn during breakfast. They walked hand in hand through the door as their luggage trailed magically after them. The smiles on their faces were the smiles of a young and carefree couple. The smiles that he: Ron and Hermione used to wear together.... Ron told himself to stop being so self-absorbed as he joined the crowed eager to hug and kiss and congratulate. Ginny let go of their embrace with a concerned look.

"How're you holding up?" Ron saw Harry look over at him with a look that said he wanted to know too.

"I'm fine," Ron lied. In fact, he was not fine in the slightest, and the remaining worried expressions of Ginny and Harry said they knew this. However, their further interrogations were swallowed as a celebratory bottle of firewhiskey was opened, and the couples' faces turned bright again, excited at their future together. Mrs. Weasley had already started asking of their wedding, where will it be? When? And could she help plan it?

"Of course! We couldn't do it without you!" Harry said, and Ginny beamed her agreement.

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Please read The Moment That Started It All by the same author. It's an amazing one shot. Please review!!!!!!!