"Are you going to explain to me why we're outside of your exe's house with a giant trash bag?" Draco asked as he looked over at Hermione who was fidgeting in the passenger seat beside him. After school she had asked him to take her home to pick something up and then she had given him directions to the tall skinny house they were currently sitting outside of. It wasn't a shack or anything, but it looked like the builders realized too late that the land wasn't wide enough and had in turn begun to build upwards. It was painted a vile shade of brown and someone had stuck a small flag that read Weasley in the ground next to the mailbox.
"This is all of the rubbish he left at my house over the last year I figured now was a good a time as ever to return it." She breathed visibly nervous.
"Do you want me to run it up to the porch?" He asked not liking the idea of her being anywhere near Ron. She sighed and ran her fingers through her unruly hair as she glowered at the house.
"No, I was just gonna leave it, but I need to make sure Molly gets her ring back, I'd feel awful if something happened to it." He looked at the ring she had clasped and her hand and slightly wrinkled his nose. It was very clearly cheap metal coted in a silver finish with small glass crystals along the band. It was tarnished in some spots and was just ugly in general.
"Granger… I don't think anyone's going to steal that."
"I know it's hideous, but it's sentimental and I want to make sure it's back in her hands when I leave here."
"Alright Watson we'll do it your way." He sighed pulling his key out the ignition and reclining his seat a bit before lying back and closing his eyes.
"This'll only take a moment." She said as she exited the car. She hoisted the black bag of God knows what into her arms and walked up the short driveway. Draco opened his eyes and watched as she set bag down and rang the doorbell. A dog barked from somewhere within the house and she was shifting from foot to foot as she stood waiting. Seconds later A women with bright cheeks and a head full of trademark Weasley colored curls opened the door. She shrieked and clapped her hands engulfing Hermione into a tight hug rocking her back and forth before letting go and holding her at arm's length as she looked her up and down. She said something before giving her another quick tight hug before ushering her into the house. She barely had time to grab the bag of items before she was dragged inside, and the door shut behind her.
"This could take a while." He murmured before closing his eyes again while resting his arms on his chest.
Hermione walked into the house the familiar chaotic surrounding making her smile sadly. She breathed in deeply despite herself and took in for the last time the smell of cinnamon and firewood.
"Ron's not home right now, but you're welcome to sit here with me while you wait for him." Molly said as she bustled around moving pillows off of the love seat so that there was a place for her to sit. She seated herself in her knitting chair and picked up her needles seamlessly picking up where she had left off before Hermione had knocked on the door.
"Come sit!" She said smiling hugely motioning to the space she had made for her. She awkwardly shuffled over to the couch and sat down smiling at the women.
"How've you been dearie I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." She exclaimed as her hand moved quickly and nimbly over her project.
"I've been alright just working on school and trying to keep my grades up."
"Yeah, Ron told me you'd been real busy, but he told me we probably wouldn't be seeing you until late summer with all of the stuff you had going on?" She waived her hand absentmindedly in the air unaware that Hermione was finding it difficult to speak.
"Pardon?" She said finally her mouth hanging open slightly
"Yeah, he said you were finishing school, working, and that you had some summer internship lined up. Very happy for you by the way." She said beaming at her.
"So, that's why I was so surprised to see you today I thought it would august before I saw you again." She continued
"Molly… Ron and I aren't together anymore." Her head was hanging down as she looked up at the women who welcomed her into the family the second Ron brought her home.
"I'm so sorry I thought he told you after that day in the park." She rambled feeling guilty at the sight of her crest fallen face. Molly's fingers had stilled, and she was frowning at the fireplace before her.
"He said he thought he'd seen you in the park with Malfoy and he was really upset when he came home, but then he called you and realized you weren't even in town that weekend and that it wasn't you?" Hermione took in a sharp breath wondering why on earth Ron had lied to his mother.
"No, that was me in the park, because Ron and I had broken up I had no idea that he was telling you something different. I have no idea why he would do that."
"Because he loves you." She said plainly.
"Because telling everyone that you were done makes it real." Hermione felt tears welling in her eyes and she shook her head slightly. She felt ill Ron was known to tell his mother augmented versions of their arguments and falling outs to ensure he didn't look bad, but she had no idea he had taken it this far. She was tempted to tell her everything, the cheating the lying, and the manipulation, but she was done wasting time and tears and Ron Weasley. Her mind wandered to Draco lounging peacefully in the car and she quickly stood up swiping at the stray tears that had rolled down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry again Molly. I just came to drop off his stuff, and I wanted to make sure your ring got back to you." She unfurled her hand unveiling the ring she had cherished so dearly when she had first received it. She frowned a little as she thought about how the ring had become more of a shackle than an accessory.
"I know you said that your mother-in-law gave this to you as a way to welcome you into the family, and it didn't feel right to just throw it in the bag." She continued her voice was soft, but each word ricocheted around the empty room.
"I gave it to you for the same reason." Molly said sighing as she looked up meeting her eyes finally
"Are you sure this is it Mione, it would be so awkward to have to regift it to you." She continued adding a forced chuckle to the tail end of her statement. Unsure of what to say Hermione stood silently letting her arm drop by her side after the older woman made no move to take the piece of jewelry from her palm.
"It's just that you guys always manage to work it out, so maybe we should wait a bit. I wouldn't wanna be to rash- I mean who knows what the future holds. You two could end up getting married, or…" Hermione stopped listening as Molly began to ramble the walls seem to be closing in and suddenly she wanted nothing more than to be out.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, but Ron and I won't be getting back together, and I should really get going before he returns home." She says extending her arm again. Silence settled between the two of them and Mrs. Weasley set her knitting aside as she stood up. She walked up to Hermione stopping just in front of her as she closed the young girls' fingers over the ring.
"I didn't give you this because you were dating Ron, I gave you this because you've become a proper member of the family, and I would really like it if you'd keep it." Hermione opened her mouth, but she was cut off as she was ushered to the door.
"I won't hear anything else about it." The women said stopping by the front door.
"You come back whenever you like you hear? I would love if You would still come to family dinner on Friday too- if you feel comfortable that is." She stated giving her a hopeful childlike smile. Hermione's insides felt raw as she wracked her brain for how to properly handle the situation at hand.
"Gosh Molly. I-I would have to see I just…"
"It's okay" The woman interjected sounding crestfallen.
"You just take care alright?" She said flashing a strained smile as she opened the door to her home. Hermione suddenly realized how much she was going to miss the welcoming and warm person before her, and not knowing what to say wrapped her into a tight short hug.
"Thank you for everything, really." She breathed as her senses were flooded with the scent of sugar cookies. Giving one final squeeze she turned on her heal and walked down the drive the tarnished ring clutched tightly in her hand.
Hermione slid into the car silently feeling slightly numb as she fingered the ring in her hand. Draco sat up surprised looking at her.
"I will say that was much faster than I anticipated I fully expected for you to be in there all night…" He stopped short when he saw a glistening trail tainting the girls' pink cheeks.
"Granger? are you alright?" He allowed his eyes to rake over her body hoping to find the source of her distress, and his eyes caught on the ring that she still had clasped in her hand.
"Hermione… Talk to me. What happened in there?" He questioned cautiously fearing that he may worsen her already fragile mood. She sat beside him seemingly snapped out of her trance like state by the sound of his voice.
"Yeah I'm fine, I'm just really going to miss her is all." She replied swiping at her eyes. Draco felt a warmth that could only be described as a tenderness swell within him as he took in what she was saying.
"You could always visit" he said hoping his voice didn't betray all that he was feeling.
"I suppose I could… it wouldn't be the same though she said. Staring at the house as if she was trying to memorize every cracked plank and splintered windowsill.
"No, I guess not" He murmured watching her with pity all too familiar with the feeling of realizing that your relationship with someone has changed.
"Do you want me to take you home?" He asked reluctantly not sure if she wanted to be alone. She sighed refocusing her gaze on him, her velvety eyes swimming.
"No not really." She paused carefully combing through her thoughts in front of him.
"Don't really want to be alone honestly." She clarified looking at him.
"Could we just drive?" She asked quietly settling in her seat and facing forwards. He watched her examine their surroundings for a few moments before replying.
"Yeah we can do that." He whispered quietly the words coming out far gentler than he had anticipated. Normally this would cause him to recoil inside himself, but now Hermione was here, and she didn't want to leave just yet, so neither did he. If she just wanted drive and watch as the scenery blurred your thoughts going with then he could do that for her.
"Any request?" He questioned clearing his throat attempting to sound light.
"No… I just want to forget about the world outside this car for a while. Yeah?" And he understood that really he did. So, he drove, and he didn't stop, even when the sky turned colors and the clouds resembled cotton candy, even when they passed their county limits, even when he grew slightly unfamiliar with their surroundings. He kept going because Hermione wanted to forget, and selfishly he too wanted her to forget about the Weasley's. For them to be a distant name that she would have to really focus on to remember. He kept going because it felt like the further they got the less she would remember. So, he drove not bothering to stop, not wanting to. He didn't even ask questions when Hermione reached her delicate hand out of the window as they went over a bridge and released the ring into the water below that reflected the color of embers. They paused briefly as they approached a bright blue sign welcoming them to a new district.
"Do you want to go home?" She asked turning to acknowledge him for the first time in the last 90 minutes, (not that he had been counting.)
"Not really" He replied earnestly.
"Me either." She said.
And so, they drove.
AN: I am so sorry this took so long! I just started feeling so uninspired with this story, but I'm quite happy with how this chapter came out so let me know what you think!.