Two Tickets to Rome
Summary: Two strangers. One train. A ten-hour journey. Who said magic can't happen on a train ride to Rome? A new take on the first meeting between our favourite Witch and Wizard. RomioneAU
Capitolo nove: Conversations in the Dark
They were driving on a winding, narrow road. The sun had set an hour ago, plunging them in total darkness. The only source of light outside the car was the white moon. The headlights of the car flickered frequently, sometimes leaving them driving in only the moonlight.
It forced Ron to drive extremely slowly. It did not bother Hermione until he mentioned the name she dreaded – Lavender.
"–that she absolutely despises. Lavender is kind of interested in that," he finished. Hermione had completely zoned out after he first mentioned her name and had no idea what he was talking about. The cold spread in her chest.
"How long have you two been together?" she asked in an attempt to get rid of the cold, dead feeling in her heart.
Ron gently pushed the brake when the headlights flickered again, "Around four years,"
"That's a lot,"
"Yeah,"
They lapsed into silence. Hermione didn't feel like talking anymore.
He cleared his throat, "But I don't think it'll last much longer. I've been thinking about it, and the relationship hasn't been going well lately,"
"Oh," she breathed, "What is wrong?"
The glow of the instruments in the car glowed just enough for her to make out his features in the night. It gave his sunburnt skin an orange glow, just like his hair. His brows furrowed and he licked his lips. For some reason, Hermione found it slightly sensual.
"It's a lot like you and Krum, actually," he explained, "We just haven't been talking lately,"
"When did you see her last?"
"Maybe a month. We haven't been owling each other either. It feels…" he shook his head, unsure of what to say.
"I understand," Hermione said anyway.
"We've been having fights, too," his eyes met hers briefly, "About the future. I want to be an Auror, but before that, I want to travel. I want to see the Muggle world. She comes from a traditional pure-blood family. She's not interested in it at all. She wants to settle down, get a house, a job,"
She nodded.
"It's just dividing us. I –" he choked.
Hermione wrinkled her nose. She hated how she felt triumph at their doomed relationship.
"Are you okay?" she blurted out.
He smiled gently, one corner of his mouth curling up higher than the other, "Yeah, thanks, Hermione,"
She looked out the window, into the dark night. If her eyes had been focused, she would've seen the stars.
"I should have broken up with her a long time ago," he suddenly said, "I have been holding on, hoping it would get better, when in reality, it's only gotten worse,"
"Yes, you should," she said truthfully, still looking out the window into the darkness, "If you feel like that, then it's not going to last, I'm sorry. Speaking from experience here," she let out a humourless laugh at the end, her smile fading before she was finished.
Ron looked at her with a warm smile on his face. His freckles stood out in the red glow of the car. The radio hummed comfortably in their silence.
"When we first met on the train," Hermione started, an amused look on her face, "Why did you read the Quibbler?"
Ron's eyes widened. She could see the whites in his eyes clear as day. All the tension suddenly left his body, and he raised his eyebrows, "I sincerely hope that you don't think I usually read rubbish like the Quibbler!" he exclaimed.
"I was beginning to worry!" Hermione explained, laughing.
"I don't understand how anybody could possibly ever believe all the news that are written in it. I mean, imagine how messed up you must have to be to believe in Nargles!"
She thought about Luna, her only friend in Ravenclaw. It hurt her to hear him indirectly insult Luna, but Hermione couldn't help but agree. Her dearest friend did have a weird streak in her, she had to admit, even if she loved her dearly.
"My best friend's father actually writes that paper, but honestly! I don't believe half of it,"
"Wait," Ron started, "Are you saying that you're friends with the Looney Lovegood?"
"Don't call her that," she snapped, "But yes, she's my friend,"
"I didn't mean to insult her,"
"I know,"
They fell silent. It was broken by Hermione, who started chuckling.
"What?" Ron asked.
She continued laughing, "I like Luna, but come on! Who would ever believe all that's written in the Quibbler?"
He relaxed, she noticed. Maybe he'd been afraid that he had hurt her.
He laughed with her.
"But seriously," Hermione said when they'd calmed down, "Why did you bring it? Ron, you were extremely reckless to bring it on a Muggle train,"
He ignored the scolding, "They did an article about my father, actually,"
"Your father?"
"Yes. He works for the Ministry. In the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office," Ron said.
"That sounds like such a lovely job!" Hermione exclaimed.
Ron's face fell, "Yes, it was, until he lost it. You have probably heard of Lucius Malfoy?"
The name ringed in her ears. It brought back many displaced memories from her childhood. She could almost hear Draco Malfoy spit insults at her. Ron took Hermione's shudder as confirmation.
"He and Dad have always had a feud between them. I guess it's from when they were in Hogwarts. Malfoy always hated Dad for not joining the Dark Lord, so he did everything in his power to make his life hell. In the end, Dad lost his job,"
Hermione was stunned.
"Malfoy's in Azkaban now, fortunately, but he has demanded a new hearing. Dad is supposed to be there as a witness. There are a lot of people arguing that he shouldn't be there, because Lucius caused him to lose his job,"
"Oh,"
"I just wished they would lay off," Ron said with a tired look on his face, "Fred died because of Lucius. Dad has a right to be there, whether he lost his job or not,"
"I'm sorry," Hermione said, "What did the Quibbler say about it?"
Ron scoffed, then smiled, "I don't know. I didn't bother to read it. I got stuck on the sudoku instead,"