A/N:

Hogwarts Auction
Day 10, Auction 2: Love Actually AU

I have no idea why I chose my least favorite subplot from the movie for this.

Word count: 1,068

Ron gripped the camera tightly as he zoomed in on Hermione's face. He'd regret it later when she and Harry asked to see the footage, but he couldn't help it. She looked stunning in her white dress. Not that she didn't look stunning all the time. She could have showed up to the wedding in a sack, and Ron still would have wanted to only look at her.

The minister told the happy couple to kiss, and Ron couldn't bring himself to fake a smile as the rest of the crowd applauded. He swallowed down the lump in his throat.

It was dumb luck that Harry had met her first. Ron had spent several sleepless nights imagining how things could have been different.

But they weren't. He was at his best friend's wedding and couldn't even be happy for him. He shut off the camera as Harry and Hermione hurried out the door of the church, thankful that no one thought to pay him any attention.

"I don't get it."

Ron clenched his jaw and continued working, trying to ignore Harry even as his best friend insisted on pushing the issue.

"She's never done anything to you," Harry continued. "Hermione's great. I know I'm biased, but I don't get how you could possibly hate her, and you never give me a clear reason either."

Ron shrugged, keeping his eyes on his work. "Sometimes people just don't get along. Our personalities aren't compatible, I suppose."

"Okay," Harry said slowly, his brow creasing in a frown. "But does that mean you have to be so rude to her?"

Ron shrugged again.

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Mate, all I'm asking is that you come over for dinner and try to have some polite conversation. That's it. Is it too much to ask for my best friend and wife to get along for one evening?"

"No," Ron admitted, "but I'm afraid I'm really busy. I can't take an evening off right now."

Harry snorted. Both of them knew it was a flat out lie. "You have to eat dinner one way or the other."

"Maybe next month?" Ron suggested. That would give him plenty of time to come up with another excuse.

Harry rolled his eyes but finally stood up. Ron felt a surge of relief. He'd gotten out of another painful situation. He knew there would be plenty of others, and it would probably never get easier. But for now, at least, he'd evaded.

"One day, I will get you over, and the two of you will finally be able to get along." He pointed an accusatory finger at Ron as he tugged his coat on.

Ron shook his head. "Yeah, sure, mate. Whatever."

As soon as Harry was out the door, he buried his face in his hands with a groan.

Ron's stomach dropped to the floor when he opened the door and found Hermione on the other side.

"What are you doing here?"

Hermione rolled her eyes at the rude question, but Ron didn't think it was out of line. Who randomly showed up at the house of someone who supposedly hated them?

"It's been ages, and you haven't shown us the wedding video yet." She brushed past him into the house despite the fact that he had no intention of inviting her in.

"It's not ready yet," he snapped. "With the holidays, I've been really busy, and—"

He cut himself off when he saw her gripping the tape that was clearly labelled as her and Harry's wedding video. His heart twisted. This was why people shouldn't barge into someone's house uninvited. He bit his tongue as she triumphantly carried the tape over to the television and slipped it in without permission.

Ron couldn't look. He felt like he was going to be sick. He stared at the wall, unable to see the look on Hermione's face as she watched the video and realized that there was almost nothing in it except her face.

"Ron?" Her tone was questioning, almost worried. "Is this…?"

She couldn't finish the question. She seemed genuinely baffled by what she was seeing. Still not looking at her, Ron stepped over and switched off the TV.

"I think you should go," he said quietly. His heart breaking even more.

Hermione did just that without a word.

It was what was best, but Ron couldn't shake the wish that she would have stayed, would have said more, would have kissed him. He clenched his fists together, hating himself desperately for even entertaining the thought of hurting Harry so deeply.

Yet when he closed his eyes, it was the only thing he could see.

Ron braced himself when the door opened. He almost slumped over in relief when it was Hermione who answered, not Harry.

"Ron!" she exclaimed in surprise.

Ron held a finger up to his lips in a silent plea for her to remain quiet, and she nodded, glancing down the hall behind her. Luckily for them both, Harry didn't appear.

Ron held up the posters that he'd prepared. The ones that explained his feelings and made it clear that he never expected them to be reciprocated. He wasn't even sure how he felt at the moment. It was excruciating. Hermione watched with a small smile but didn't say anything as she read what he'd written. Ron was thankful for it.

Once he was finished, he turned to go, but before he could get very far. Hermione caught up to him and spun him around. He wrapped him up tightly in a hug. Stunned, it took a second for Ron to hug her back, but when he did, he sunk into it, relishing the moment for the short time it lasted.

He offered her one last smile as he turned to leave, not entirely sure where this left them. They'd have to see each other again. Ron would still feel the familiar tightness in his chest whenever she smiled at him. He would still go to bed and dream about what things might have been like if he'd met her first. He would still have to avoid sharing the full truth with Harry for fear of hurting him deeply.

Yet, for some reason, he felt almost light as he headed home. Like something had changed for the better between them. Only time would tell if that was true or not.