Hermione slowly sank into the cushions of the couch, trying to keep from crying again. She was a Gryffindor for Pete's sake. She shouldn't be sitting here helplessly weeping. As she let out a small breath of absolute frustration, she looked around the room, noticing how different it looked since she had lived there. The couches were now run-down looking things, with stains decorating them, and small end tables cluttered with papers stood beside them. No pictures hung on the wall, and where their used to sit a bookshelf now sat a mass of bottles, mainly Fire Whiskey bottles. All in all, the room was absolutely dreary. Just like this visit.
Her plan hadn't really worked out as she had hoped it would've. When she had apparated to Ron's she had expected him to be home. That was her first mistake. Then when she entered, she had been met with the stale odour of alcohol. The entire house had been a mess, so without thinking about it, Hermione had begun to clean the porch, then the kitchen, and she had just started on the hallway when he had arrived home. Drunk. And so she had helped him to bed, ignoring his slurred protests. And now here she was, nervous, disappointed and utterly upset. She really should learn to lower her expectations on everyone. As she sat there, unable to rest, she thought about her life since the war, and about her failed relationship with Ron.
Everything was chaotic right after the war; the cleaning and renovations of Hogwarts, new teachers, new laws, new Ministers among other professions being replaced by certain Wizards. And many, many funerals; Tonks, Lupin, Snape, Colin Creevey, among others. The worst, most painful memory was at Fred's funeral, watching George, Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Percy, Bill and Charlie all fall apart. All Hermione could do was hold Ron while he watched his brother get buried. Not long after, Ron got offered a job as an Aurora, as did Harry. Both of the boys jumped at the offer, and Hermione was left to go back for her seventh year at Hogwarts alone. She had also been offered a job, but she had politely declined, knowing how easily the Ministry was manipulated. Instead she spent the year studying hard, focusing was easier now that she didn't have Ron and Harry to distract her, although it was incredibly lonely. She got the occasional letter though, from her parents. Right after the war she had travelled to Australia in order to restore their memory. The couple had decided to stay in Australia though, leaving her alone. Draco Malfoy had also returned to the school, halfway through the school year though. She had hardly noticed though, for she had been busy with tests, studying and spending free time and holidays with Ron. Not surprisingly she finished school with honours, and searched for private businesses that she could work for. Right after Hogwarts she had moved in with Ron, and everything had seemed perfect.
She went to numerous interviews, and was finally hired by the Institute: A Private Business which focused mainly on gathering documents, objects and other miscellaneous things as proof in order to use in court. This proof was used to prove a witch or wizards innocence, or else it was used to prosecute others. In other words she technically worked in a 'Lawyers' office. At first she was working as a secretary, answering phones, controlling the Floo network, and filing the objects that came through the building. It was also around this time that she found out about Ron's compulsive drinking. Sometimes they would go out for a few drinks, before going home, but when she got her job, she was never home early enough to go out. She had believed that perhaps he spent his evenings at home, or in his office. Until one night when she arrived home after a particularly hard day at the office, and found Ron absolutely intoxicated to the point where he couldn't even see straight. She had been troubled, but she brushed it off as a random occurrence, until it happened again... And again... And again.
Finally she had convinced him to try to get some help; to talk to a therapist. Ron did, and he explained how he felt that he had no purpose in life, and how he felt empty without Fred. Hermione had felt extremely guilty for not knowing this, and began to dote on her boyfriend. She would work hard at the office, and get home early to make him dinner, and clean the house. This led to Ron proposing to her. She had accepted, and not long after got promoted at the Institute. This was when she began going out on the missions to retrieve the evidence. Much to her surprise, after her rigorous, and difficult training she was partnered with none other than Draco Malfoy. He was so unlike the boy who she had gone to school with, that she decided he must had been a changed man. Things got very hectic after her promotion, for she was now gone for a few days at a time. When she was home everything seemed good, although Ron had become quite agitated all the time. He would yell at her for small things; like missing a small smudge in a glass when doing dishes. A few times he had hit her when she had talked back to him; defending herself. Even though Hermione hated herself for it, she forgave him every time, making excuses for him. She not only lied to others about her relationship, she lied to herself, telling herself that everything was fine, he was just upset that she was always gone.
Her and Draco worked together for almost a year, before she finally broke down and told Draco about her relationship problems. It was after an intense argument between the duo, about her cat Crookshanks. He had got rid of the cat while she was at work, without even telling her. Later, he admitted to the cat getting loose one night when he was drunk. Hermione had yelled at him, and he had locked her outside the apartment. Astoundingly, Draco had listened, and he had comforted her. He even went as far to tell her that she should leave him. Ignoring this advice the fights went on for a few months, until Hermione arrived home a few days early from a particularly easy mission. She had walked into the apartment, noticing empty liquor bottles tossed around. She followed the hallway, confused, and entered her bedroom to unpack. This was when she had found out Ron had been cheating on her.
Without waiting for an excuse, Hermione had stormed out and left, spending the next few days in a hotel, before finding the apartment that she currently lives in. When she returned to work, Draco had noticed right away that she didn't wear her engagement ring, and Hermione admitted to him what she had seen. He had flown into a rage, and ranted about how useless Ron was. A week or two later, Draco had cornered her on a mission and had kissed her. Then he left the next day; quitting his job, and moving out of his apartment without a word to her.
Hermione realized with a start that she had begun to doze off, and she yawned widely. Hesitantly, she stood up, and walked to Ron's bedroom, opening the door with a pause; peeking into the room to make sure he was still passed out. With quiet steps, Hermione walked in to the room, gently tugging the extra blanket off of the foot of the bed. Retreating quickly, Hermione wrapped herself in the soft blanket; recalling how Molly had sewn it for her and Ron. With a grimace, Hermione went to the kitchen, where she put on coffee; determined not to fall asleep. She sat at the table for a long moment, nursing her coffee as she watched vehicles drive past the window. Her mind slowly drifted back to Draco, and she couldn't help but notice how much she missed him. Even though he had been a complete arse to her, she still wished he was here with her for company.
Against her will, images of their love-making filled her mind, and once again she found tears glistening in her eyes. How could a mere memory of him cause her to feel so terrible? It was as if she was homesick for him, although they had only been together for not even a week. What was she becoming? A love-sick, obsessive girl? A Lavender Brown? Besides, she smart to have left Draco. She couldn't trust him, and he was a very manipulative person. She was much better off without him. Hermione let out a sigh; giving herself a head-ache with her constant thoughts. With a small grimace, she stood up to put her coffee mug in the sink. As she turned to look around, a large "Pop" sounded throughout the apartment. Hermione immediately thought about Ron, and how perhaps he woke up and apparated away without a word to her.
Panicked, Hermione raced out of the kitchen, running right into somebody's rock hard stomach. With a cuss, Hermione was knocked backwards, falling not-so-gently onto her backside. With a glare, Hermione looked up to shout at whoever had been blocking her path. When her eyes met intense dark grey once the words died on her lips, and instead she muttered a quiet, resolute "Shit" as her heart began to race.
When he offered his hand to assist her up, she pushed him away, and stood up on her own. Sighing noisily, she crossed her arms, scowling at the blonde-haired bloke. "What in the bloody hell are you doing here, Malfoy?"