"No!" Hermione yelped before she could stop herself. She had planned on giving him a very nice, diplomatic let-down, but her heart wouldn't let her. Ron Weasley had shattered that heart into a thousand pieces and her conscience decided that she didn't need to be nice about it.
"'Mione…?"
"I said no Ronald. Never in a million years! Not after everything you've done to me! How can you even come here and think I would say yes?" Hermione continued, red in the face from embarrassment. People on the street were starting to stop and stare at her outburst.
"We both made a mistake, that's why…" Ron was still on bended knee, holding the sapphire engagement ring shakily.
"You made a mistake, which led me to the best decision of my life…so I will thank you, but I can't accept your proposal," she shook her head firmly. Once it was her dream, but now the thought of marrying Ron made her stomach turn.
"I want to marry you, please…" he looked a little bit scared as he asked, as if she held his fate in her hands but she reminded herself of the day he had told her he had cheated on her—the day that she knew she could never trust him again. Once a cheater, always a cheater, as Ginny would say.
"NO.."
"I believe the lady said no," Sirius said rather firmly as he walked towards the pair out front of the restaurant.
"Many times, actually. I think it's time for you to go Ron," Remus added, stepping out of the shadows as well. Hermione looked both relieved and angry to see them, but she was frozen there on the sidewalk as she gaped between them and Ron.
Ron slowly picked himself up off the ground, pocketing the ring, "Oh bloody hell—of course her knights in shining armor would be here to save the fucking day…"
"Watch that idiotic mouth of yours Weasley…" Remus nearly growled, his hand placed on his pocket to show Ron that he had his wand and was not afraid to use it.
"'Mione why aren't you….what? What is all of this?" Ginny asked, her voice rising with each word as she came stumbling out of the restaurant on her towering heels. She was very surprised to see Ron there—and for that, Hermione was thankful.
"Ginevra, please," Sirius shot the red-head a look that screamed 'go back inside now', but the petite witch would have none of it.
"No! What part of GIRLS WEEKEND do you lot not understand?" she shrieked and Hermione rolled her eyes. They really were becoming a scene now.
"We are only here because the village idiot couldn't control himself," Sirius gestured to Ron, obviously angry that Ginny had not left them alone.
"RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY, GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY BEST FRIEND ON HER BIRTHDAY TRIP SO HELP YOU!" Ginny shrieked just as Fleur and Luna came running outside and started in on futile attempts to calm her down. Ron looked shell shocked and Remus and Sirius looked furious.
"All of you stop it! Take her back inside- I'll be there in a second…" Hermione glanced pleadingly to Fleur who yanked the pouting Ginny off of the street. Hermione then grabbed Ron by the elbow and led him a few paces down the sidewalk to a turn off into a little alleyway.
"You broke my heart, and nothing is going to change the way I feel about that…no amount of sweet words can make me forget that you gave up on something great. I wish you all the best, but my answer is and always will be no," Hermione told Ron clearly and quietly. His face looked pained, but other than that he kept calm and nodded before turning away from her quickly and apparating with a loud 'pop' away into the darkness.
Hermione closed her eyes as a single tear fell from one of them and made a little path down her cheek. Remus and Sirius were by her in an instant, and she was glad that they had at least let her handle that on her own. They both wrapped their arms around her, enveloping her in a large hug.
"Why are you two here?" she pushed them both away after a moment, crossing her arms as her eyes flicked murderously between both men.
"Here to say sorry. We didn't know we'd find you getting proposed to," Remus shrugged, his hands sheepishly in his pockets.
"And I'm not going to let you dump me that easily without making you listen to the explanation of what really happened," Sirius told her.
"Look," she stood up straighter and tried her best to act intimidating even though she was crumbling inside, "I don't want to see either of you. I came on this trip to get away from everything. I need space to think. Both of you have hurt me so badly and I don't know why you think it is funny to act like you are saving the day here…okay? I'm not a damsel in distress and neither of you is shaping up to be my prince charming. So thanks…but I can take it from here…" Hermione rolled her eyes and walked past them back towards the restaurant, trying to hold back her tears. Both of them being there had really shaken her—and as mad as she was she couldn't help but still love them both.
"Hermione wait!" Remus caught up to her and touched her shoulder lightly. Sirius had urged his best friend to go after her and he did, but was a little taken aback at the cold look on her face when she spun around and met his eyes.
"I saw you with Tonks. Don't even try to deny it. Do you remember when I specifically asked you one thing…that I never wanted you to see her again? Well it may have been petty of me but I meant that, and you broke that promise Remus! How could you lead me on when you still have feelings for her?" Hermione started to cry openly now and Remus had to suppress the urge to wipe away her tears, but he knew her well enough to know not to touch her.
"I am so sorry. She came to me and told me some terrible news…that turned out to be a lie. Sirius helped me realize she was just manipulating me, but I thought I had already lost you…I made a mistake…" Remus whispered to her, leaning in very close, his amber eyes pleading with her, "I don't love her, I love you."
Hermione couldn't hold out. She believed him and knew he hadn't hurt her on purpose, she could tell from the sincerity in his gaze and the fact that he had come here to tell her.
"Tell me she's out of your life," Hermione bit her lip as she waited for the answer.
"Forever," Remus promised, "And 'Mione, I'm not the only man here for you. Sirius didn't sleep with that girl—Angie—he made a mistake and ended up in a bad situation, but he would never betray you like that. We are both very sorry."
Hermione nodded, with a little glimmer of a smile as she looked behind Remus to see a very sorry looking Sirius standing patiently in the shadows behind them. She was glad Remus had made her see sense, otherwise she would have never known what really happened, seeing as how Sirius made her crazy.
After a few moments, Sirius joined the softly chatting pair and placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder.
"We know you can handle yourself, and we are sorry we came all the way out here…but we love you too much and we needed to apologize," he smiled softly at her, "Now go and enjoy the rest of the trip. We will see you when you get back."
"And we will celebrate your birthday, love," Remus kissed her on the cheek and squeezed her hand. Sirius dropped a kiss on her forehead and both of them said goodbye, leaving as quickly as they had come.
Hermione took a deep breath before heading back into the restaurant. She had been proposed to her by her ex-boyfriend and had made up with both of her lovers in less than a half-hours time- and also ruined Ginny's meticulously planned dinner. She laughed at that last bit before sitting down to the table full of her girlfriends who were getting sufficiently sloshed enough that Ginny seemed in much better spirits.
A/N: I know it's short…it originally wasn't planned this way…but there have been a lot of reviews and a lot of opinions and this is your VERY last chance to make a case for who you want Hermione to end up with. I will put it into consideration I promise, if you have a very good reason. The next chapter will be the last before an Epilogue and THERE WILL BE A PROPOSAL. So speak now or forever hold your peace
