Disclaimer-J.K. Rowling owns everything in this fic. I only own the plot.
Only You
Chapter 2-The Breakup
Hermione sat at a corner table in the Three Broomsticks and looked at her watch. She was five minutes early, and she knew that Harry never showed up on time. She wished that he would hurry up because she was very curious as to what he needed to talk to her about. Harry never said much in his letters, but this one was so short it had left her wondering.
She waited patiently for another few minutes and was surprised when it was George who joined her at the table instead of Harry.
"Oh, did Harry ask you to meet him here too?" She said as she stood up and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Well, not exactly," George muttered as he took the seat across from her.
"Oh, well, I'm happy that you're here anyway. I was already missing you."
George smiled weakly and didn't respond.
"What's wrong George?" She asked suddenly concerned with her boyfriends peculiar behavior. "And where is Harry, he's usually not this late."
"Sweetheart, Harry's not coming."
"Why not? Has something happened to him? Is he alright?"
"No, no there's nothing wrong with him. It's just that..."
Hermione stared at him waiting for him to finish and when he didn't she said, "George is there something you need to tell me?"
"Well, yes there is, I just don't really want to tell you."
"But I thought we could always tell each other everything."
"Yes, but I don't want to hurt you."
Hermione stared at him with her face void of expression, "What's going on George."
"Well, you know I was away on that trip for a long time, and I had this one really bad day."
"You didn't tell me about this last night. You said everything went perfectly."
"Well, it didn't go perfectly. You see I was trying to get the man to sell us the building and he wasn't too receptive. The property had been in his family for centuries and even though he wasn't using it, he didn't want to give it up."
"And this is what you needed to tell me? This is why Harry wrote me a note telling me that he needed to speak with me and then sent you here instead?"
"I'm not finished yet. I wish that was all there was to tell." He let out a long sigh and ran a hand carelessly through his hair. "I was very frustrated and I went to the hotel bar to get a few drinks, blow of some steam. I guess I got carried away because two hours later I was sitting at that same bar, thinking about how much I missed you, and how much this deal would mean to our company. I don't remember ever being as drunk as I was that night. All I could think about was how much I needed you to be there, and that you weren't. This woman came up to me, and we started talking. At least I think we much have, I don't really remember, but I started thinking that if I couldn't have you, maybe this other woman could comfort me. I don't really know why I did it. It felt so wrong the whole time we were together. Afterward I couldn't even look at her, I made her leave, and I spent the rest of the night awake. I couldn't stand what I had done to you. I didn't know how I could fix it. All I knew is that I loved you and that I couldn't lose you. You're too important to me. You're too special. I knew that I loved you, and I didn't want to be with any other women, only you, and I knew I had made the worst mistake of my life."
Hermione eyed him coolly. "That's enough, George. I don't want to hear any more about that night or that woman." She spat. "I want to know what Harry has to do with this? How did he know we needed to talk?"
"He...he saw me that night. He saw me with her."
"And that's the only reason you ever told me. Isn't that right!" She yelled.
"Yes," He said quietly.
"You were going to lie to me?"
"I didn't want to lose me."
"You mean you couldn't face the consequences for your actions!" George nodded and she began to speak again. "You're weak!" He nodded again. "And not at all like the man I fell in love with at your parent's house. I don't know you anymore! But I am grateful for one thing. I'm glad that my best friend is a better man than my boyfriend. Because if I didn't have friends like him, I wouldn't know who you were, the kind of person that you are. I wouldn't know that my whole life with you was a lie. And for that I am eternally grateful."
"Hermione, no. You've got it all wrong. I'm still the same person. I made a mistake like ever other person in this world does. I admit that I was weak, I admit that I was completely wrong, but that doesn't mean that I don't still love you. It doesn't mean that everything we have is a lie. I love you, Hermione and I always will."
"It is obvious that you don't love me, and if you think you can treat someone like this even though you love them, you are very wrong. What are we going to do about the house? Do you want to move out or should I?"
"No, Hermione. Please don't leave me. I'll never cheat on you again. I can't live without you. I love you! I want to marry you! Marry me, Hermione. I swear to you that this will never happen again. I will be faithful to you until the day I die, just don't leave me, I'm begging you."
Hermione stood up and glared down at him. I'll go pack up my things. I'll be gone by the time you get home from work. Please don't go to the house until after five o'clock. I don't want to see you. Goodbye, George."
As he watched her leave, his chest grew heavy and tears formed in his eyes. He threw some coins on the table, and left without a word. He didn't go back to work, instead he apparated to his parents house, to the place where he and Hermione had fallen in love.
Hermione didn't cry until she got back to the house that she and George had shared. The tears fell as she said goodbye to all the hopes and dreams she had had for her life with George. She had always thought that they'd get married and have beautiful children with that famous Weasley hair. They would have lots of children. She wanted a big family just like his. She could see herself staying at home with the children. They would get in her way while she wrote but she wouldn't have had it any other way. Their house would always be filled with laughed. How else would the family be, with George Weasley as it's head? Now that would never happen because he threw it all away for some girl he met at a bar. Hermione was crushed, but she was strong, and she had her pride. She was out of the house by five o'clock just as she had promised.
She told herself that she was strong, that she would survive. She told herself she had one week to morn the loss of George Weasley. After that she was going to focus all of her time and energy on her career. It was all she had left, and it wouldn't cheat on her or turn her world upside down in just a few minutes. It was something she could control, and that was what she needed. She vowed that she would never trust another man like she had trusted George, and that she would never love again.
