Once the war was over, the first thing Ron had done was propose to Hermione. It had been a public affair in the great hall as soon as they were allowed back in. He had dropped to one knee, pulled out his grandmother's gold ring, and presented his love to the world.

Hermione had said yes, still enamoured in the thrills of young love where together, they could take on the world.

From that day forward, they were seen as the poster image of love—of hope for a new, happy life after the war. They were always seen together, forging a new path forward together in the ministry. Hermione was the undersecretary to the Minister, and Ron was a trainee Auror. They were the power couple. People wanted to see them; people wanted to be them. Everyone wanted the happiness they had.

Maybe that was why they were destined for ruination?

The love they had was real. It was.

Hermione loved Ron with all her heart, and Ron would say the same. They married quickly, wanting to show their love to the world and to never be torn apart. Molly had been delighted, something to design, set up and cook for. It was her dream—maybe that was why it hadn't really felt like their wedding?

But they had done the whole shebang. Anyone and everyone had been invited, and it had been the first true celebration after the war. It was elegant, romantic, and very bold. Something everyone could look back upon in dark times and realise there had always been hope. It was a masterpiece of planning that Molly had pulled off well. It was a shame that neither Ron nor Hermione had felt very wowed by the affair, but they had brushed it off as nerves.

Then after the very brief honeymoon period they had been granted, they had both been thrown back into the deep end of work. Except it wasn't only work hounding them. Journalists everywhere now wanted to know all the gossip of the new power couple. It meant they could never relax, both of them always having their guards up. A mere meal out could be taken in so many different ways when reporters wanted to skew the truth to sell their papers.

Maybe that was when the tenison started?

Work had been non-stop for both of them, the work and the gossip rags both piling up around them. That was when they had decided to take a small break, a one-year anniversary getaway. It had been tense and awkward as if trying to relearn one another after believing all the falsehoods the papers were saying about the other.

But they had been happy after it. Maybe not elated and relaxed as others in their position would be, but they were living in relative happiness.

Then came the positive pregnancy test.

Neither of them had been expecting it. They had been using protection. Neither of them were ready, personally or professionally, for a child in their lives.

They had planned for termination on a Thursday—the papers announced their ensuing pregnancy and child on Wednesday.

By the time they had read the paper, at least half the Wizarding population had also read it. The owls of congratulations and gifts had poured in, and a very tearful Molly had fire-called to say she would get started on the knitting.

Neither of them could deny the nation the child of the future. Neither of them were happy.

The resentment began.

Hermione could no longer go into work once the pregnancy had progressed. She was deemed too high risk with an elevated blood pressure and gestational diabetes. She was left to stew at home with no work to do, her anger growing more and more as Ron still got to go to work and do what he wanted, whereas her every move was the sole focus of the papers and anything would be judged. But by staying at home, she had become exactly the wife that Molly had always dreamed for Ron.

The papers were pleased even if she wasn't.

With Hermione having to stay off work, it meant Ron had to go to work more and actually complete said work. No longer could he gloss by with the bare minimum as he was under more scrutiny now Hermione wasn't there as his security. He had to work and he had to work hard. Reports were no longer being accepted, and he had to edit and re-edit each and every one when they were returned. He grew more tired, more angry and more bitter as time went on.

Then the baby was born.

It had been a traumatic birth requiring the assistance of six midwives. But a beautiful baby boy was born, and immediately the nation loved Arthur Wendell Weasley. Hermione hadn't had a chance to choose the name properly; Ron hadn't cared to previously discuss it with her. Neither of them were happy with it.

Ron hadn't been able to take more than a few days off work. His job performance was minimal, and they didn't care what else he had to do. He had to increase his hours so they wouldn't fire him.

The papers saw him as a dutiful father providing for his family.

Hermione saw him as a lazy boy who couldn't do real work under pressure.

Hermione struggled to look after Arthur. He was a clingy baby who always cried and nothing she ever seemed to do would stop it. More and more days went on, and she was left juggling all the housework, entertaining well-wishers and dealing with a child who never seemed to stop screaming.

The papers saw her as a loving mother.

Ron saw her as a layabout who complained about menial tasks.

Time went on.

Neither of them spoke more than one word to one another. Scathing glares and frowns were all that was left between them for communication.

Arthur grew and stopped screaming, but instead it was the world outside that began screaming at them for more.

More pictures, more dates, more romantic tidbits. For Ron and Hermione were the poster couple of Britain after the war.

Once, they had had a small argument that had been caught on camera. The resulting meltdown of the country had nearly destroyed them once more as people took time off to mourn their relationship, bombarded them with owls asking why, ministry officials visiting to get the truth of the situation.

They knew that they couldn't part.

Hermione once thought of what Steve Jobs had said, "Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life." She had thought that as she stared at Ron snoring, dead to the world, on the sofa as Arthur screamed from his high chair for food. Hermione didn't like this, it wasn't her life however it was her life.

She was stuck with it.

Ron came home from work angry more often than not. The pitiful work he handed in time after time no longer passed quality control. He had heard Hermione muttering about "living a lie." Ron didn't feel like he was living in his perfect reality except he was stuck in this reality.

Loving can so quickly turn to loathing.

Ron hated Hermione. Hermione hated Ron.

There was no happiness in their lives.

They smiled at the camera in front of them and kissed.

THC/The Houses Competition.

Round 9 - Standard

House - Gryffindor

Class - HoH

Theme - Family

Prompt(s) chosen -

[Word] Happiness

[Quote] Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. - Steve Jobs

1232 words (wordcounter .net)