CHAPTER XIX
AUGUST 2001
- The Leaky Cauldron -
(Three Years Since the End of the Second Wizarding War)
Hermione poked her head out of the kitchen door to see where Ron had gone off to, about to tell him that dinner was almost ready, only to see him head towards the container of Floo powder by the fireplace.
"Ron?" Hermione whispered softly. "I thought we were going to have to dinner together tonight? We've both been so busy with work at the Ministry of late I thought it would nice to eat together just the two of us."
Ron turned around to face her, a guilty expression on his face. "Oh, sorry Mione. I must have got caught up at work and forgot to mention the guys at the Auror's department are all having a night out tonight. Can we reschedule?"
Hermione's smile dimmed, but she nodded in agreement. Inwardly she sighed in frustration. The last four hours of baking and cooking for a romantic evening in, gone to waste. "Sure. Enjoy tonight, and say hello to Harry and Draco for me."
She was about to head back into the kitchen to put away the food when Ron sputtered out angrily, "You still talk to that ferret?"
"I'm not having this argument with you again Ron. He is my friend and I won't have you calling him names. Besides if you hadn't noticed Draco and Harry have become friends since being forced to work together as partners in the Auror's office. I'd like to think you'd at least trust Harry's judgment if you didn't trust mine!"
"But he's a bloody death eater! He shouldn't even have been allowed to be an Auror in the first place!" Ron yelled in exasperation. Clenching his fists and trying to calm himself down, he stormed over to Hermione and enveloped her in a hug. He pressed a kiss roughly to her forehead. "Just be careful around him Mione. I don't trust him. Please for me, will you stay away from him?"
"Ron you should give him a chance!"
"Mione please."
"Fine. I will stay away from Draco…"
"Thank you Hermione!" Ron bent down to give her a passionate kiss on the lips but Hermione backed away.
"Until you've spoken to Draco yourself, and see that he has changed. And when I say spoken I mean actually have a conversation with the man, not spend the encounter calling him names and glaring like you have been since our last year at Hogwarts."
Sensing, that he wasn't going to win this argument, he huffed in agreement and muttered his goodbye and headed over to the fireplace. He was going to suffer an argument with her about his employment status tomorrow. He didn't want to fight with her tonight as well.
Plastering a fake smile on his face at Hermione he said, "Don't wait up for me luv, I could be back really late and might end up staying at Harry's or something."
"Okay. Enjoy yourself."
Grabbing handful of floor powder he yelled "Diagon Alley!"
Hermione watched as Ron disappeared behind the green flames, a familiar sense of loneliness tugging at her heart. She walked over to the kitchen and stared at some of Ron's favorite food. A tear rolled down her check. She wasn't happy and that was wrong of her – Ron loved her and treated her well. And here she was upset that he wasn't spending the evening with her! When had she become so pathetic and lonely?
...
.
...
Upon arrival to Diagon Alley, Ron made his way over to the Leaky Cauldron, careful to make sure no one recognized him or followed him. Keeping as much to the shadows as possible, he ventured into the Leaky Cauldron heading up towards room 304.
As soon as he opened the door a delighted squeal followed, "Won-Won!" Lavender Brown launched herself at Ron and the two quickly turned their embrace into a passionate kiss. Ron moved his mouth from her lips, turning his head to kiss her along her neck before stopping and collapsing on the bed.
Lavender curled up next to him, resting her head on his stomach. "What's wrong Won-Won?"
Ron tensed at the question. "I quit the Auror department today. I'm sick to death of it. Do you how hard I struggled just to get in! I'm always second best to Harry. I'm never good enough for anyone. Even Malfoy, the stupid ferret, gets more recognition then me! I should have been the one partnered with Harry not Malfoy! Instead I partnered with Dean Thomas!" Ron reached for flask of fire whiskey he always kept on him, and took a large gulp. "They brought me into a meeting today, to tell me my performance hasn't been up to standard. Where's the war hero that fought along Harry? Why can't you be more like Harry? Or even more like Malfoy! Like I want to be like that Death Eater scum!"
Lavender kissed his hand. "You'll always be the best in my eyes."
Ron looked down at Lavender as she began removing his clothes. "I know Lav, only you."
Author's Note:
I feel I should right a little about Ron's behavior. Whilst I in no way condone how he is behaving – there is a reason behind it. He's suffering after the war – he lost his brother, is still affected from his experience with the Horcrux, is jealous that Draco has been accepted by society and has everything he wants. Ron is not in a happy place, even having taking up drinking. And yes, Lavender and Ron have been having affairs since the final year of Hogwarts, even whilst he was and is still dating Hermione.