From his vantage at the edge of the ballroom, hidden away in the shadows, Ron watched the couple bitterly. They stood close together as they swayed to the music, both too caught up in one another to spare any thought for the people around them. It was like they were both lost in their own disgustingly happy little world.
He wished that he were the one out there with her. He almost had been, once upon a time. In hindsight, it would have been so easy for them to turn their relationship romantic. Just the slightest movement from either of them would have done it. But they hadn't. Instead, he had started dating Lavender in an attempt to get over her, and, with Harry being so focused on his secret lessons with Dumbledore, and Hermione had been the one to deal with Regulus when he'd changed sides in sixth year. By the time Ron had decided to take the risk of telling her about his feelings for her, it had been too late.
He was glad that Hermione was happy. Her face filled with joy whenever he was mentioned, and it was impossible to begrudge her that. Their generation had, as a whole, had crappy childhoods, and happiness was a thing to be cultivated and treasured. The fact that both Hermione and Regulus seemed eager to do just that was a relief, if anything. It showed that their pasts hadn't destroyed them.
He just wished –
He just wished.
A/N: Prompt: bitter
I bought a kazoo yesterday while out with Mum – and then got home to find out that it was National Kazoo Day in America. Impeccable timing is impeccable.
Anyway, there isn't much direct Hermione/Regulus in this one, but I wanted try mixing things up a bit.
