(A/N: Wow! I am so surprised about all the positive review I got! Thanks so
much to all of you!)
Chapter 3: Forgive and Forget * "Ron?"
Ron Weasley turned around. He blinked his eyes and they widened.
"Harry?"
The tall, muscular Quidditch player brushed his black hair back and grinned.
"How's it going, mate?"
Ron couldn't believe it. He wanted to say hi, or something, not just to stand there like a moron. He hadn't seen Harry in a year, since, well, he had decided to move on, and be an Auror, and it seemed there was no more time to do the things he loved anymore, or see anyone. So he stood there like an idiot. Finally he said, "What? What are you doing here mate?"
Harry shook his head.
"You're getting boring Ron. No, hello?"
Ron smiled. The ice was finally broken.
"So, how's the wedding planning going?"
"Fine. It's kind of hard to tell, without you there."
"Why do you need me?"
"You're the best man. There are rehearsals mate, and fittings and loads of other crap that I don't care about. Could you come early? I'm here on Ginny's account."
Ron raked a hand through his red hair.
"I don't know mate. I'm busy and-"
"Come on, it'll only be a week Ron! OK, I know why you don't want to go, all right!"
Ron looked up.
"She won't be there! You'll be at my flat! You won't have to see each other! Now go pack or I'll hex you!" He smiled and laughed. "Ginny's been teaching me."
Ron put his head in his hands. He couldn't, he shouldn't-
He had to.
"Fine! You win. I'll pack."
* Thirty minutes later they were in Harry's London flat, which he had just bought with his newer, considerably larger paycheck.
"Wow, mate," said Ron, looking around admiringly. "You're living the high life now."
"Ok, well, you could sleep in here," said Harry, embarrassed, pushing open the door to reveal an elegant room.
"Wow," said Ron again, dropping his trunk. * "D'ya want to go to the Burrow later?" Harry dug into his microwave dinner with gusto. He couldn't cook for beans, and had picked these up one day in Muggle London. Now he lived off them.
Ron grunted. "I don't know, I mean, well,"
"Ron!" said Harry. "You haven't seen them in a year! This is your family remember? She won't be there. Ginny's bridesmaid shower is today, and it's at their flat."
"Well, fine then."
"Good."
Harry gave a satisfactory nod and they finished their meal in peace, talking pointlessly about Quidditch. * "Ooooooooo it gorgeous!"
"Hermione, it's lovely!"
"Where ever did you get it?"
Ginny held up a glittering gold picture frame engraved with "Our Wedding." It was for their wedding picture and could be enchanted to say anything.
"It's lovely Hermione, thank you."
Hermione smiled. She had known Ginny would love something like that. She swished the pumpkin juice around in her glass. Only a week. What would she say?
"Stop thinking about it!" she scolded herself. Why were tears coming to her eyes?
Ginny had just opened a cookbook from Penny. "Ron can't cook," she thought.
Why was everything reminding her of him?
It wasn't fair, she told herself. Why did he have to put her through this?
It's not his fault, she thought. * "Mum? Dad? Hullo? Anyone here?"
Ron raked a hand through his untidy hair.
"Is anyone home?"
He walked into the sitting room, where he saw his father, reading the Daily Prophet.
Ron swallowed. "Dad?"
Arthur looked up, then his eyes widened.
"Ron? Is it really you?"
He walked up, and embraced his son with newfound strength.
He turned back to look at his son.
"Ron, you've got bigger!"
"Yeah," said Ron, turning pink.
"Why didn't you write, son? Your mother and I have missed you this past year."
"Well, I've, uh, been, uh, busy."
"Oh," said Arthur, with a knowing glance. "I see."
"Where's Mum?" asked Ron, hastily changing the subject.
"She's at Ginny's shower. But you'll see her later, and everybody else."
"Why?"
"Because my boy! We're going to have a celebration! This is your first day back, isn't it?"
Ron paled.
"Ron," Arthur put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. "You can't avoid her forever."
He then walked away to leave Ron to his confused thoughts. * "Hermione, did you hear?"
Hermione took one of Ginny's gifts, a dress, and folded it up. They were cleaning up from the shower.
"What is it Gin?" asked Hermione, wondering why Gin's face was flushed with excitement.
"He's back!"
"Who's back?"
"Ron!"
Hermione dropped the cookbook she was holding with a thud.
"What?" she said.
"Yeah, he came back early. Mum and Dad are having a party or something." She looked at Hermione's face and sighed.
"Honestly, Hermione, you can't avoid him forever, he was bound to come sometime."
Hermione nodded and looked away.
Ginny sighed and put her arm around her friend.
"Oh, Gin," said Hermione with a sob. "I can't face him, I just can't."
"Why?"
"Because, I'm." She gave up, sobbing, "Oh Gin, I'm still in love with him." * "Oh Ron, this will be so exciting." Mrs. Weasley gave Ron a squeeze. "We're going to have a welcome home party, with the whole family."
"Are you sure that's necessary, Mum?" asked Ron, who was drinking some Butterbeer.
"Of course, dear," said Molly. "Everyone's in town! Besides, we haven't seen you for a year!"
Ron swirled his drink, which must have become very interesting.
"Now, let's see, we'll need Bill, Fleur and the girls, Charlie and Susan, Percy, Penny, and the kids, Fred and Angelina and their kids, George, Ginny and Harry, and, oh yes Hermione."
Ron spit out his drink.
"Who'd you say Mum?"
"Hormone, dear."
Ron coughed. * Hermione smoothed her robes nervously and took one last glance in the mirror. "Relax," she told herself. "It's only Ron. He'll have forgotten, maybe."
But she wouldn't allow herself to think those thoughts, so with a sigh, she Disaperated. * She appeared right outside the Burrow. Giving a sigh, she opened the door.
"Hermione! It's about time!" Ginny led her to the middle of a group. "Here, have a butterbeer."
"Hermione smiled weakly. "Thanks."
She looked over in the corner and her heart stood still.
Standing in the corner was someone. A redheaded man was standing there, looking straight at her.
"Ron," she breathed.
" 'Lo 'Mione," she heard him say.
She walked towards him, shuddering with every step. He looked at her with interest until she was right in front of him.
"So,"
"How've you been 'Mione?"
"Me?" Hermione flushed. "Well, I've been fine."
"What're you teaching?" Arthimancy?"
"Ye-Yes. It's wonderful."
"Good." Ron studied her with his blue eyes.
"Please don't stare at me like that," she thought. "I can't handle it."
"So," she said, looking down at her nails, which must have become very interesting. "You like being an Auror?"
"Yes, well, I've learned a lot. I just." He looked at her and locked his eyes on hers. "I don't know if it's the job for me."
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. "Could he come back?" she asked herself.
Ron smiled at her. "So,"
"So,"
"Well, you excited? About the wedding and all?"
"Um, yes, you?"
"I guess. He couldn't, he couldn't have picked a better girl, right?"
"Yes. It's good you don't care, you know, about him marrying your sister and all."
He shrugged. "I'm used to it. Besides, I, well, haven't really been around."
There was an awkward silence, for they both knew why he had left.
"So, how is old Hogwarts?
"It's good. Ginny's teaching Charms, we have a lot of fun."
"That's good."
Another awkward silence.
Hermione studied her hands and Ron took another swig of his Butterbeer. "Say something!" she told herself, but no words would form on her lips. * "Say something you fool!" Ron told himself. He wanted to tell her how pretty she was, how sorry he was, anything, but the words wouldn't form on his lips.
"I, uh, I really missed you Ron," she was looking in his eyes now. God, she was beautiful.
"I, uh, missed you too 'Mione." Why couldn't he say something else? Cursing himself, he took another swig of butterbeer.
She looked at him shyly. God, she was beautiful, so beautiful. * "Say something you idiot!" Hermione told herself. She looked up at him. His eyes were so blue; his quirky smile was beginning to play on his lips. She was, she was still in love with him.
"Hermione? Can you come here?"
"Sure, Gin." Anxious to get away from the awkward silence dripping of the past, Hermione turned to leave when she heard Ron's sullen voice behind her.
"I'm sorry Hermione. God, I'm so sorry."
She felt her heart stop.
To Be Continued.
Chapter 3: Forgive and Forget * "Ron?"
Ron Weasley turned around. He blinked his eyes and they widened.
"Harry?"
The tall, muscular Quidditch player brushed his black hair back and grinned.
"How's it going, mate?"
Ron couldn't believe it. He wanted to say hi, or something, not just to stand there like a moron. He hadn't seen Harry in a year, since, well, he had decided to move on, and be an Auror, and it seemed there was no more time to do the things he loved anymore, or see anyone. So he stood there like an idiot. Finally he said, "What? What are you doing here mate?"
Harry shook his head.
"You're getting boring Ron. No, hello?"
Ron smiled. The ice was finally broken.
"So, how's the wedding planning going?"
"Fine. It's kind of hard to tell, without you there."
"Why do you need me?"
"You're the best man. There are rehearsals mate, and fittings and loads of other crap that I don't care about. Could you come early? I'm here on Ginny's account."
Ron raked a hand through his red hair.
"I don't know mate. I'm busy and-"
"Come on, it'll only be a week Ron! OK, I know why you don't want to go, all right!"
Ron looked up.
"She won't be there! You'll be at my flat! You won't have to see each other! Now go pack or I'll hex you!" He smiled and laughed. "Ginny's been teaching me."
Ron put his head in his hands. He couldn't, he shouldn't-
He had to.
"Fine! You win. I'll pack."
* Thirty minutes later they were in Harry's London flat, which he had just bought with his newer, considerably larger paycheck.
"Wow, mate," said Ron, looking around admiringly. "You're living the high life now."
"Ok, well, you could sleep in here," said Harry, embarrassed, pushing open the door to reveal an elegant room.
"Wow," said Ron again, dropping his trunk. * "D'ya want to go to the Burrow later?" Harry dug into his microwave dinner with gusto. He couldn't cook for beans, and had picked these up one day in Muggle London. Now he lived off them.
Ron grunted. "I don't know, I mean, well,"
"Ron!" said Harry. "You haven't seen them in a year! This is your family remember? She won't be there. Ginny's bridesmaid shower is today, and it's at their flat."
"Well, fine then."
"Good."
Harry gave a satisfactory nod and they finished their meal in peace, talking pointlessly about Quidditch. * "Ooooooooo it gorgeous!"
"Hermione, it's lovely!"
"Where ever did you get it?"
Ginny held up a glittering gold picture frame engraved with "Our Wedding." It was for their wedding picture and could be enchanted to say anything.
"It's lovely Hermione, thank you."
Hermione smiled. She had known Ginny would love something like that. She swished the pumpkin juice around in her glass. Only a week. What would she say?
"Stop thinking about it!" she scolded herself. Why were tears coming to her eyes?
Ginny had just opened a cookbook from Penny. "Ron can't cook," she thought.
Why was everything reminding her of him?
It wasn't fair, she told herself. Why did he have to put her through this?
It's not his fault, she thought. * "Mum? Dad? Hullo? Anyone here?"
Ron raked a hand through his untidy hair.
"Is anyone home?"
He walked into the sitting room, where he saw his father, reading the Daily Prophet.
Ron swallowed. "Dad?"
Arthur looked up, then his eyes widened.
"Ron? Is it really you?"
He walked up, and embraced his son with newfound strength.
He turned back to look at his son.
"Ron, you've got bigger!"
"Yeah," said Ron, turning pink.
"Why didn't you write, son? Your mother and I have missed you this past year."
"Well, I've, uh, been, uh, busy."
"Oh," said Arthur, with a knowing glance. "I see."
"Where's Mum?" asked Ron, hastily changing the subject.
"She's at Ginny's shower. But you'll see her later, and everybody else."
"Why?"
"Because my boy! We're going to have a celebration! This is your first day back, isn't it?"
Ron paled.
"Ron," Arthur put a comforting hand on his son's shoulder. "You can't avoid her forever."
He then walked away to leave Ron to his confused thoughts. * "Hermione, did you hear?"
Hermione took one of Ginny's gifts, a dress, and folded it up. They were cleaning up from the shower.
"What is it Gin?" asked Hermione, wondering why Gin's face was flushed with excitement.
"He's back!"
"Who's back?"
"Ron!"
Hermione dropped the cookbook she was holding with a thud.
"What?" she said.
"Yeah, he came back early. Mum and Dad are having a party or something." She looked at Hermione's face and sighed.
"Honestly, Hermione, you can't avoid him forever, he was bound to come sometime."
Hermione nodded and looked away.
Ginny sighed and put her arm around her friend.
"Oh, Gin," said Hermione with a sob. "I can't face him, I just can't."
"Why?"
"Because, I'm." She gave up, sobbing, "Oh Gin, I'm still in love with him." * "Oh Ron, this will be so exciting." Mrs. Weasley gave Ron a squeeze. "We're going to have a welcome home party, with the whole family."
"Are you sure that's necessary, Mum?" asked Ron, who was drinking some Butterbeer.
"Of course, dear," said Molly. "Everyone's in town! Besides, we haven't seen you for a year!"
Ron swirled his drink, which must have become very interesting.
"Now, let's see, we'll need Bill, Fleur and the girls, Charlie and Susan, Percy, Penny, and the kids, Fred and Angelina and their kids, George, Ginny and Harry, and, oh yes Hermione."
Ron spit out his drink.
"Who'd you say Mum?"
"Hormone, dear."
Ron coughed. * Hermione smoothed her robes nervously and took one last glance in the mirror. "Relax," she told herself. "It's only Ron. He'll have forgotten, maybe."
But she wouldn't allow herself to think those thoughts, so with a sigh, she Disaperated. * She appeared right outside the Burrow. Giving a sigh, she opened the door.
"Hermione! It's about time!" Ginny led her to the middle of a group. "Here, have a butterbeer."
"Hermione smiled weakly. "Thanks."
She looked over in the corner and her heart stood still.
Standing in the corner was someone. A redheaded man was standing there, looking straight at her.
"Ron," she breathed.
" 'Lo 'Mione," she heard him say.
She walked towards him, shuddering with every step. He looked at her with interest until she was right in front of him.
"So,"
"How've you been 'Mione?"
"Me?" Hermione flushed. "Well, I've been fine."
"What're you teaching?" Arthimancy?"
"Ye-Yes. It's wonderful."
"Good." Ron studied her with his blue eyes.
"Please don't stare at me like that," she thought. "I can't handle it."
"So," she said, looking down at her nails, which must have become very interesting. "You like being an Auror?"
"Yes, well, I've learned a lot. I just." He looked at her and locked his eyes on hers. "I don't know if it's the job for me."
Hermione's heart skipped a beat. "Could he come back?" she asked herself.
Ron smiled at her. "So,"
"So,"
"Well, you excited? About the wedding and all?"
"Um, yes, you?"
"I guess. He couldn't, he couldn't have picked a better girl, right?"
"Yes. It's good you don't care, you know, about him marrying your sister and all."
He shrugged. "I'm used to it. Besides, I, well, haven't really been around."
There was an awkward silence, for they both knew why he had left.
"So, how is old Hogwarts?
"It's good. Ginny's teaching Charms, we have a lot of fun."
"That's good."
Another awkward silence.
Hermione studied her hands and Ron took another swig of his Butterbeer. "Say something!" she told herself, but no words would form on her lips. * "Say something you fool!" Ron told himself. He wanted to tell her how pretty she was, how sorry he was, anything, but the words wouldn't form on his lips.
"I, uh, I really missed you Ron," she was looking in his eyes now. God, she was beautiful.
"I, uh, missed you too 'Mione." Why couldn't he say something else? Cursing himself, he took another swig of butterbeer.
She looked at him shyly. God, she was beautiful, so beautiful. * "Say something you idiot!" Hermione told herself. She looked up at him. His eyes were so blue; his quirky smile was beginning to play on his lips. She was, she was still in love with him.
"Hermione? Can you come here?"
"Sure, Gin." Anxious to get away from the awkward silence dripping of the past, Hermione turned to leave when she heard Ron's sullen voice behind her.
"I'm sorry Hermione. God, I'm so sorry."
She felt her heart stop.
To Be Continued.