a/n And this is it...

Chapter 28: Favour

Hermione had barely knocked once before it opened. Unlike the last time, Ron stood at the side of the wide-open door and she only managed to meet his eyes once in a silent hello before she entered and the door clicked shut behind him. She paused, looking firmly at her hands clutched around her trusted beaded bag, suddenly very self-conscious until he called softly.

"Sit?"

She met his eyes but looked away just as quickly, wetting her dry lips and exhaling quietly before she moved to the couch and took her place. Out of the periphery of her vision, she noticed Ron stand awkwardly on the side for a while before he came forward and pushed the ottoman a respectable distance away from her, trying his best to make it less obvious. Finally, he sat down, pulling his long legs close to himself, his tall frame hunched ever so slightly towards her.

"Your owl mentioned it was urgent?" he asked, and she gathered all the courage she possessed, reminding herself over and over that if she handled it well, Ron would never know that she had agreed out of the completely illogical and certainly one-sided love she had for him. And almost everyone in the family seemed to want the same thing. She had to swallow her pride, she reminded herself, for her mother at least. But she would not- could not- give him the satisfaction of knowing the whole truth. Hermione quietly wondered whether her actions would be termed cruel and manipulative but she didn't really have a choice anymore, did she? The thought that she had to come begging help from him gnawed at her heart and she pacified herself with the thought that at least Ron wouldn't know how much she still craved his love.

She had taken the long muggle route, just to give herself enough time to back out. But in the end, she knew Molly, Harry and Draco were right- Ron was indeed her very last hope. She pinned her hopes on what Draco has said, Ron wasn't a guy to back out from helping someone in need. Soothing her pride had taken longer. It was hard to forget how he had asked her to leave the last time she had come knocking at his door. She couldn't allow herself to dwell on it for very long, time was running out already. She had to ensure her mum met her 'fiance'. The anxiety was at its peak by the time the bus dropped her off at the nearest bus stop and she walked the rest of the distance, feeling panic rise with every step she took. Why if he turned her away again- would her heart be able to bear it? What if he didn't agree because she had been with Draco? What if he no longer cared about her at all?

As she looked around the room, still trying to gather enough courage to speak, her eyes fell on him and her heart twisted painfully. There was no valid reason why she still loved him so deeply. Could she really survive living with him under one roof and still hold onto her hurt and pride? How long would she manage to mask her pinning behind anger and pain? How long would it be before her self-control lost to her heart? She feared she'd melt under that gaze as those impeccably blue eyes met hers and she looked away, blushing.

"Yes," she admitted quietly and cleared her throat.

"Everything okay?" he asked, concerned. "Jane-"

Strange he'd say that..."Mum's okay," she replied more softly than intended. "I came here to ask you for a favour," she added before she lost her nerve, and noticed the way his jaw clenched. It seemed as if he hadn't shaved in a couple of days. His appearance and proximity caused a strange shiver run down her spine and she continued to watch the copper-colour stubble that ended well below his jawline. The fine peppering of freckles on his neck disappeared behind the V-neck collar of the black tee he wore underneath the flannel button-down that, unsurprisingly, was left unbuttoned. The pull below her navel was so strong that she had an urge to flee- there was no way she'd be able to keep up the act of being unaffected if she'd have to see him this way day in and day out… provided he agreed to her request of course.

"Tell me," he replied softly, sincerely.

"I -" she began somehow, hiding her blush as she felt his eyes on her and continued to watch her hands instead, unable to meet his gaze. "Will you marry me, Ron?" she finished hurriedly in the quietest of voices, fearing that she had lost her mask already; the longing, Hermione was sure, was far too evident in her words. She never wanted to be here, or so she thought, but now that she was, it was hard to lie to herself. Despite the tattered remains of their relationship, she craved the life they had once dreamt of together. She was still more sure about spending her life with Ron than she had been about spending it with Draco. It was scary how much she still wanted it.

There was a sharp intake of breath and she felt him shifting away from her. "I -" he halted and exhaled, "I don't understand…" he replied in a very strange voice.

"You know Mum is not keeping well and she wants-"

"I know," he interrupted, "Just don't understand why you are asking me when-," he paused for a moment and continued in a very controlled voice. "-you are already engaged to ...him," he managed, sounding as if the words were causing him physical pain.

"Draco had to break the engagement." She paused and slowly pulled up the long sleeve and showed him her hand.

He let out the tiniest sound of surprise and met her eyes before looking away hurriedly. "Oh? But... why?" He paused for a moment and ran his eyes over her face. "Did he hurt you?" he asked softly, but there was something dangerous in his tone.

She looked up, "Funny coming from you." Ron looked away, his jaws clenched. She wanted to say more but something in his features made her anger dissolve against her wish. "No," she added softly, and his eyes found hers again. "He-" she swallowed hard, "He found out about some nasty curse on the Malfoy bloodline. If he ever marries a muggle-born, the girl will die in a matter of months."

There was an abrupt movement as if Ron held himself back the very last minute from reaching forward. His hands clutched the side of the ottoman as if to keep them from touching her. There was a look of horror on his face as he continued to watch her for the longest amount of time in many many years, his eyes softening before he looked away and gave a small, stiff nod and exhaled soundly. His voice was barely controlling the rage when he spoke. "And he didn't know this before?"

"No. He Found out about it from his mum when she got to know about us from the Prophet."

He nodded grimly. "I still don't understand…" he met her eyes very briefly, "why are you here?"

"I-" she began and paused, sighing. She knew she ought to have thought this over. All these years and weeks of telling herself that she had moved on- and that she hated him, and yet, here she was, back at his door, still craving his love despite all the hurt he had caused. But all the pain still hadn't managed to dull the want, the desire to give life another chance- only, she could never tell him that. "I already told mum I am engaged," she explained before she looked up, unable to hide the rising panic. "She is expecting me in the evening today," she managed, begging quietly. She knew he would hear the unspoken.

"You told Jane about Malfoy?!" he gasped, looking very disturbed.

"No," she shook her head, "No. Just mentioned I got engaged and will-" she gulped "-get married soon," she finished awkwardly. This was harder than she had assumed.

"So she doesn't know who you are engaged to…" he concluded and swore softly, under his breath.

"I can't break her heart," she managed. "I need to visit her today with my... fiancé."

He straightened up, a look of deep conflict on his features. "No."

"No?!" she gasped, tears springing up instantly and bringing the hurt and anger back. She hated herself for the weakness and sniffed, fumbling around for a moment before she stood up. "Of course, why would you bother!" she snapped.

She had turned to walk away when he grabbed her wrist and the touch ran a spark all over her skin before he let go far too quickly, standing up a little clumsily and towering over her as usual, still maintaining a distance.

"She doesn't deserve being lied to by her own daughter," he sighed. "She'd never want you to do something you don't want to."

"I owe her this," she replied thickly.

"She'd never want you to live a lie or get into a relationship against your wish."

"I have already told her and I can't break her heart," Hermione insisted.

"You don't understand-"

She spun around, glaring up at him, their sudden proximity making her deeply emotional.

"No, Ron! YOU don't understand! It's not about what I want anymore! After having almost killed her once- "

He grabbed her on her upper arms before she could finish, "Who told you?!" he thundered.

She pried his hands away, taking a couple of steps back, realisation trickling in. "You knew… You knew?!" Hermione sucked in a breath, unable to think straight. "How long have you known?!"

"A while now," he admitted, pocketing his hands. "They never wanted you to know. Neither do they blame you for it." He exhaled and ran his fingers frustratedly through his hair. "I am sorry but I can't help you lie to your Mum."

She chuckled bitterly. "You don't want to help me... Of course! What was I even thinking!"

"That's not what I said..."

"That's exactly what you said!" she snapped, sniffing on her angry tears. He watched her and sighed, running his fingers through his hair again and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sit?" he requested. "Please?"

She glared at him but returned to the couch.

"Why are you doing this?" he asked softly as he reoccupied the ottoman. She looked up to find that he was staring at his hands. "Being so adamant about getting married in a hurry, I mean. You know-"

"You didn't have a problem when I announced it a few days ago," she asked, the hurt gaining strength. "In fact, you alone supported me that day."

"That was different,"

"How so?"

He sighed and looked up. "You were doing what you wanted to,"

"I'm still trying to do the same!" she retorted.

"No. You were going to do what would make you happy."

"My priority is making Mum happy- it's still the same."

He exhaled, looked away before he faced her again. "You were marrying the person you love, not-" he paused, "-compromising." Hermione remained silent and Ron spoke again after a while. "This is a big decision, and you … you hate me."

She sucked in a breath, her heart twisting in guilt. She had assumed she'd relish seeing him hurt as much as she had, but surprisingly it didn't feel very good. "It doesn't matter what I want. All that matters is Mum should be happy."

"And your Dad? Do you think he'll buy it?" he countered.

"He has made it very clear what he has in mind. I don't think he'll complain."

"And you?" he asked softly. "You know it will be hard. Everyone will just expect us to-" he exhaled sharply and paused.

"We've pretended once before,"

"Not like this."

"Doesn't matter, it'll just be an act."

"And then?" he countered.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"What happens then?" he asked, looking at her intently before she looked away. "We pretend we are engaged, get married and then what? We keep up the act all life long?"

"I don't know!" she admitted with a nervous shrug, "I don't know," she repeated almost to herself, "I haven't thought so far in the future."

"Then you should before you commit your life to someone you hate."

The words hurt.

"Will you help me or not?" she replied instead. "You asked me once to pretend and keep our loved ones happy. Today I am asking you the same."

Those gorgeous blue obs locked on hers, his face unreadable. He looked away finally, stood up and began pacing around the room. She waited. Finally, he came back and stood in front of her.

"What about all your expectations from a marriage- will you be happy being stuck with me under one roof, pretending to-" he paused, "-be happy, in-in love with me? What about your dreams?"

"Well," she replied and gulped thickly, "I'll manage. And-" she looked firmly at her hands as she continued, "I understand where you are coming from. They'll expect us to be a normal couple, be in love… even start a family." She drew in a long breath, fighting the tears. "I'd understand if you want the same from your wife," she managed shakily, "I'll - I'll do that in return for this favour- bear your children."

He reached her so fast that it seemed he Apparated. Fury radiated from his features as she hadn't ever seen before. "What the fuck do you think I have become?!" he managed through gritted teeth, glaring down at her from his height, breathing heavily. "You think I have fallen so low as to demand you to sleep with me and bear me children as some fucking sort of payment, do you?!"

She noticed how he clenched and unclenched his fists as if in an attempt to hold back from touching her. He huffed and spun on his heels and faced away. She continued to look at his figure, barely holding back the urge to run and wrap herself around his tall frame. An image of her heavily pregnant form materialised in her mind bringing with it a strange longing in her heart. As tears pooled out, she wiped them away hastily and sniffed as quietly as she could manage.

"Please, Ron?" she begged. "I can't live with this guilt…" she added miserably and continued to stare at her hands, not bothering to hide the free-falling tears any more.

There was a soft sound of an exhale and shuffling of feet told her he had turned around. He sat down on the ottoman, hunched. "On one condition," he said softly and she looked up to meet his eyes; there was something very strange in them. "You'll never try paying me back for this-" he continued and looked away before she could decipher those emotions floating in his eyes, "- in any form. No sexual favours, no guilt-driven emotions or actions… Nothing."

"What do you expect from this- this arrangement?" she found herself asking and he chuckled humourlessly.

"Nothing apart from your satisfaction that you have fulfilled your Mum's wish. We'll pretend for them, but behind this door, feel free to hate me as you do."

She couldn't hold back all the emotions that flooded her senses, and lowered her eyes, sniffing and wiping off her eyes with the back of her hand. "Does it mean you agree?" she asked quietly.

"Yes…" he replied.

The silence between them was stifling with unspoken words and feelings. Hermione was scared to give a name to all the emotions swirling inside her.

She looked resolutely at her hands on her lap, quietly fearing the way Ron's proximity affected her. Earlier no matter how much her heart craved for him, her brain reminded her of her promise to Draco- now she had no way to reign in her heart.

She looked up a smidge, careful not to look into his eyes and give herself away. He could never know how much she craved him - that was the only last shield that protected her damaged pride. But once again, he had managed to chip off a large chunk of the wall around her heart. She sat waiting, lost for words.

"When are we meeting her?" he asked at last.

"Today evening, if that works for you," she replied, suddenly very conscious of the changed equation between them, the pull below her navel getting stronger by the minute. She looked up just a smidge to notice his eyes on her fingers.

"You'll need a ring," he replied in the softest of whispers, and she just about managed to choke back on a sob. "I'll- I'll meet you at your place before we leave for the hospital, yeah?" he added and she tried and failed to figure out the emotions behind those words. Surely he still had the ring with him? Why couldn't he give it to her? It would at least tell her that he still loved her back. But then, perhaps he didn't anymore and was just doing this to keep everyone happy.

"I should leave," she said at last. "I'll see you at three?" she asked.

"Yeah," he nodded, checking his watch.

She adjusted her hair consciously and picked up the beaded back that she had dropped on the side when he spoke again.

"What do we tell Harry? And the others?"

She looked at her fingers. "They know about the Malfoy curse, I- I went to the Burrow first."

There was a marked difference in his features as she looked up; the mask was back, the eyes were once again cold and distant.

"They coaxed you to come to me?" he inquired.

"Not all of them," she said in a small voice.

He exhaled and nodded stiffly. "Are you sure you want this?" he asked again.

"Are you backing out?"

"I just want to ensure you know what you are getting into. People don't usually marry someone they can't stand the sight of."

"I am doing it for Mum," she replied resolutely, without contradicting him. "I don't care about anything else- I only want her to be happy. And this is what she wants." She watched him for a while, trying her best to see through the mask. "Why did you agree?" she inquired and noticed the slight clenching of his jaw.

"I've caused enough pain to people I love- if this makes them happy, that's all I need," he replied.

….

As the green flames in the grate vanished, Ron collapsed on the couch wondering what Destiny had in store for him- either it would bring back everything he had lost or it would be a one-way road to hell.

...