AN: Thanks so much for reading, putting this on alert, favoriting, and of course, reviewing! It's nice to know that everyone's sticking with me even though my updating has been erratic at best.
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Hermione absently twirled angel hair pasta around her fork as the soft conversation of her fellow restaurant patrons droned hypnotically in the background. She glanced up at Ron, who had just taken another bite of chicken. He did not return her gaze, far more interested, it would seem, in his chicken than in her. Hermione set her fork down and gathered her thoughts. Part of her wanted to discuss Snape's offer to instruct her in Dark Magic, but she wasn't quite ready to explain to Ron why it was necessary for her research. He would inevitably ask. She could make up some plausible excuse, but Ron would still object to Snape as her tutor. The last thing she needed tonight was to deal with another one of Ron's temper tantrums.
That conversation was painfully predictable.
"I'm thinking of trying out for the Chudley Cannons next season." Ron suddenly announced.
"That's great," Hermione flashed a smile she hoped looked sincere. "I'm happy for you."
Ron stared at her as though he expected her to say something more, but her gaze returned to her plate. She retrieved her fork and shifted the pasta and chicken around a little more.
"How would you feel about my being gone for six months at a time?" Ron pressed.
"You-you'd be following your dream. Sometimes dreams require sacrifice," Hermione answered softly as she raised her eyes to meet his.
"I'd have to do some serious training before I could try out."
"The way they played the last time we saw them, the whole team could use a bit of 'serious training'." Hermione grinned.
Ron chuckled. "True."
They shared a brief moment of understanding, then Hermione returned to her meal. Ron stared at her intently, then exhaled and took another big bite of chicken as the silence between them lengthened once more. Hermione remembered nights during the war when she and Ron would cling to each other in their terror. No words were necessary then; in fact, they would have seemed redundant in the face of the comfortable silent understanding they had established.
This was not one of those comfortable intimate silences, but rather an awkward gulf growing between them. The silence needed to be addressed, but Hermione couldn't find the words to do so.
"So you'd support my playing a sport you barely understand?"
"I just said that I was happy that you were following your dreams," Hermione answered, a bit more irritably than she'd intended.
Ron recoiled, causing Hermione to sigh an apology. "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Ron answered. "It just feels like we should talk about this more."
"What more is there to discuss? You want to play Quidditch and I support you. Isn't that enough?"
"I don't know. It's a big decision. Maybe I just need to talk in order to process it all. It seems like something we should arrive at together."
Hermione exhaled. "What are we doing, Ron?"
"What do you mean?"
Hermione shook her head. "We have next to nothing in common."
"That's not true!" Ron interjected, his eyes flashing in protest. "We fought in a war together, side by side through…" The light faded from his eyes when he realised what he'd nearly said. He bowed his head. "…well, almost the whole time."
"What else do we have, Ron?"
"We have all those years together at Hogwarts—classes, adventures…."
"We spent half of those years fighting."
"We had a lot of good times, too."
"But is that really enough to build a life on? We were just kids, Ron. Granted, kids placed in extraordinary circumstances, but kids just the same."
Ron slumped back in his chair. "What are you trying to say, Hermione?"
"I…" Hermione snapped her mouth closed.
"Don't you love me?" Ron almost whispered.
"No!" Hermione answered. "No! It's just that Harry and Ginny's break up has set me to thinking."
"We aren't like them!" Ron exclaimed as he grasped Hermione's hand. "We're different."
"How? We're friends who have only a few things in common, just like Harry and Ginny. Time seems to be the only thing keeping us together."
"What on earth has got you thinking this way?" Ron asked before his eyes flickered in anger. "Is there someone else?"
"Merlin, no!" Hermione gasped. "It's just that when you were talking about becoming a Quidditch player, I began to wonder if I would just hold you back."
"How could loving someone hold me back?"
"Ron, my life is going in a different direction. I'm focusing more on my research, and you don't seem to care much about that."
"That's not true!"
"We hardly discuss it."
"So you'd love me more if I could discuss your research with you?"
"Ron, I love you, but it's not the kind of love that could sustain us in a relationship, much less a marriage."
"But I can only see myself with you."
Tears began to well in Hermione's eyes. "And I've only ever seen myself with you, but I don't think we have the same vision of our future any more."
"What do you mean?"
"I want to spend my time researching, perhaps teaching, but children…they are out of the question for me."
Ron's eyes grew. "What? I thought you wanted children."
Tears now spilled down Hermione's cheeks. "Some things change."
"Is it that you do not want children, or that you do not want children with me?" Ron asked softly.
"Does that even matter if we aren't right for each other? What is the good of having children if we can barely talk to each other?"
Ron's eyes flickered in understanding. "I always wanted to teach our children Quidditch. You can barely tolerate flying."
"Exactly," Hermione answered as she took a shaky breath and dried her eyes.
"So, that's it then? We're just done?"
"Don't you think it's for the best?"
Ron took a deep breath, then nodded as he whispered, "Yes."
Hermione squeezed Ron's hand. "We're still friends."
"I know," Ron answered as he released her hand. "This will be fun to tell Harry."
"We have to figure out a way to tell him before the Daily Prophet gets wind of it."
"Agreed," Ron breathed. "It…it almost feels like I'm losing a second family."
"Ron, I'll always be here for you... to listen, offer support, whatever you need. I promise."
Ron gave her a small smile. "Thanks, 'Mione."
She returned his smile. "I really think we're better off as friends."
"Someday I'm sure I'll agree," Ron answered before staring at the food in front of him. "Now what? It feels weird just to sit here."
Hermione sighed. "I can pay for this."
"No, I can help out," Ron replied as he reached into his pocket. "It's the least I can do."
"You really don't have to."
"I insist," Ron answered before pulling out a few sickles. "Here, this should cover my part."
"Thank you," Hermione replied.
Ron kissed her on the cheek. "If you need me, I'm around."
"I know," Hermione answered.
Ron nodded before walking away. Hermione stared at the food and took a deep breath, hoping she'd done the right thing in letting Ron go.
