An owl greeted Hermione one morning, a beautiful brown proud bird. A letter from Fleur was attached. She talked of it being Bill's birthday and how she would love to have a party for him, but he had to work a little too far away from home to make it back in a reasonable time. She said they could send Bill gifts and she'd make sure everyone got a thank you letter.
Hermione got the three books Bill had sent her and wrapped them. She scrawled "Happy Birthday, from Ron and Hermione" and used a sticky charm to adhere it to the package.
On a Saturday at the end of November, a knock rang at the door. Hermione glanced at Ron's hand on the clock, and it pointed to the Burrow. He and George had gone for a visit. Hermione patted her wand in her pocket and peered through the spy hole. A mop of red hair obscured the view. She unlocked the door and Bill stood unsteadily before her.
"Hermione." He said, slurring a little.
"Ron's not here, Bill." She knew Ron wasn't who he wanted to see.
"I came to see you, Hermione." Her slurred.
"What happened, Bill, that's never going to happen again." Hermione said, and she shut the door.
A week went by, and Hermione sent the books. One big owl was able to carry them, he looked a little chuffed when Hermione stopped scratching his chin to shoo him off.
Hermione decided to surprise Ron at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes on the last Saturday of the month. She got a room at the Leaky Cauldron to stay in and read, to be away from the house.
As she sat at the tiny desk at the window, an owl fluttered to her, a light fluffy thing. Hermione put a knot in his pouch and he took off. The letter made her heart skip a beat. It was Bill's. What did he want? Hermione thought ruefully as she opened it.
"Meet me in room 305."
Hermione shook her head. No. She wasn't going to. She told him no, and rudely too. She wasn't going to see him. He was here? She asked herself curiously.
She read the same page three times before putting it away and checking out of the room. She headed over to the Joke Shop and was barraged by loud bangs and pops as customers used the test products before deciding on a purchase.
She wandered around a bit, enjoying the joy that filled the air so noisily with laughter. She forgot about the silly invitation.
She found Ron talking to some thrilled teenagers; she watched him from a distance as he told them where to find exactly what they were looking for. He saw her as she beamed up at him and walked over to her. He gave her a peck on the lips and pulled out a flower from behind his back. When Hermione held it, it yelled "PSYCH!" so loudly she dropped it and George started cackling from atop the stairs.
Hermione watched Ron work for a bit, curious about the new toys and tricks her husband had been creating. She saw how well Ron was doing and guilt welled inside of her. She needed to go to Bill and tell him to stop. No more letters, no showing up at the house. And in return, so would she.
Hermione told Ron she had forgotten something at the Leaky Cauldron, which was true, she had checked out but had left her book, so she pecked him goodbye and strode steadfastly to the now bustling bar.
When she entered the corridor on the third floor, the air mysteriously fell silent. And there was a rhythmic thud coming from the end of the hall. And panting. Hermione shook her head in a smile and walked past the doors looking for "305".
To her horror, the door from which behind the thudding and moaning floated through had 305 across it in brilliant golden letters. Hermione stood there, wondering if Bill had called her over just so she could see him having sex with Fleur again, then shook her head.
No, Fleur said he would be away for work. And either way, this door is closed! She thought.
Hermione breathed heavily, the door creaked open, the noise from within increased, the rhythm became an echo in the corridor. Bill was staring right at her, his wand pointed at the door. He had charmed it open. A woman with long jet black hair was wrapped around him, his hair fell in sweaty strings across his face.
And Bill looked at Hermione, and smirked. He thrust roughly into the faceless woman and her screams of pleasure sounded like an embarrassing recording of Hermione's own cries. Tears welling in her eyes, she stumbled back, and half ran out of the Leaky Cauldron.
Hermione rushed back the Weasleys Wizard Wheezes and was sweaty by the time she got there. She stopped before the corner and used scourgify on her face to wipe the tears up before heading in to see Ron again. She explained to him that something she ate at the Leaky Cauldron made her sick and she wasn't feeling well. She wanted to go home.
Ron insisted she use the floo network to get home, and Hermione promised she would. Terrified to see him, Hermione dragged her feet slowly back. In the time it took her to get there, she became furious. She scribbled a hasty note for Tom, the barkeep, to leave at room 305 and disappeared into the green flame.
She climbed out of the empty fireplace in their living room. Looking around, Hermione watched the clock. Ron's arm still pointed at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. Her watch said she had 2 hours before Ron gets off work. Hermione used scourgify on her boots to avoid tracking soot through the house and stepped out the front door onto the sidewalk to apparate.
With a crack and a sharp pulling in her navel, she found herself back at Shell Cottage. The wind wasn't as fierce today, her bun stayed firmly in place. She looked around and stared at the beach. The far end seemed so far away now. The sky was grey, but the wind was too quiet. Everything almost stood still.
Crack!
Bill apparated next to her, his sweaty hair not any different than she'd seen an hour ago.
He had a wicked smirk across his face, his eyes were sparkling with mischief she had not recognised, much like his aggression from their last fuck.
"What are you doing?" Hermione demanded, appalled at his appearance. As though he came directly from the room, and wanted Hermione to know it.
"Whatever I want, since you don't want me anymore." Bill said smoothly. He leaned his back against the front door.
"We aren't supposed to be sleeping together!" Hermione said in disbelief.
"You can to me drunk, remember? You wanted me then." He said, his intent to hurt.
"You were happy to oblige of course." Hermione retorted snarkily.
"You returned my gifts." He said dryly.
"I didn't want them anymore." She said quickly.
"Didn't want to think of me inside you?" he said, stepping toward her. Hermione took a step back.
"Bill. What the hell?" Hermione asked, she studied him up and down. And she realised. Ron had turned to alcohol, and Bill had turned to, what? She thought. What is he right now?
"Bill, you need help. You will hurt everyone, including yourself." Hermione pleaded.
"I don't give a fuck about me." Bill growled.
"Fleur. You'll hurt her!" she said hastily, desperate to make him see reason. He wasn't as understanding about rehabilitation as Ron had been.
Bill stood still for a moment, he looked as though he was about to say "I don't give a fuck about her either." But couldn't.
"You've already hurt her." Hermione explained. And she felt ashamed so wholly for the first time, she felt like sinking into the sand and never returning.
She raised her hands to him, as though in surrender and smiled sadly at him.
"I'm going to go now, William." She said softly. Her eyes had welled up with tears. Taking a step back, turning on her heels and ripping her eyes from his piercing blue gaze, she disapparated.