Chapter 10

The Battered Door

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"COLLOPORTUS!" Hermione yelled pointing her wand at her office door, causing it to lock so violently that the door melted into a solid wall.

Hermione had run up the streets of Diagon Ally and was now back in her S.P.E.W. office. Her face was beat red from anger, her wand was emitting sparks and items would shake on her desk as she started pacing the small room. Hermione was so angry she didn't even notice Harry and Ginny lying on top of Ginny's desk, snogging enthusiastically.

Harry had stood up, straightened his clothes and coughed to make his presence known to Hermione. Hermione whipped her head up and pointed her wand at Harry's heart out of instinct.

"Oh, sorry Harry." Hermione said as she lowered her wand. "Hey Ginny, sorry, I didn't see you guys."

Ginny got off her desk and walked over to Hermione. "What's wrong? What happened to Ron?"

Ginny could tell she asked the wrong question. "RON! Don't ask me about that dirty, that sickening, that…that…" Hermione said, unable to think of a word dirty enough for Ron.

Just then a loud thud was heard from other side of the wall that was once an office door. A distinct scrambling sound could be heard as someone got off the floor then started pounding on the wall. "Hermione! Let me in, I need to explain…it's not what you think." Came the slightly muffled voice of Ron. "What happened to the door?"

Hermione crossed her arms and leaned against her desk. "I am not talking to him, don't let him in here." She said softly so Ron couldn't hear.

"Harry, why don't you fix the door and go talk to Ron, I'll stay here." Ginny said, trying to make some sense of the situation.

Harry pulled out his wand and added a new door to the office, then walked out, not allowing Ron in. The moment Harry walked out the door Hermione re-locked it.

"Alright, so tell me what's wrong?" Ginny asked while putting a consoling hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Your jackass brother lied to me." Hermione began and tears started streaming down her eyes. "He told me that he was done with Lavender."

"What, you mean he still likes her?" Ginny asked shocked.

"Oh no Ginny, it's worse than that…he married the bitch." Hermione said as anger started to rise in her once again. "In fact he's still married to her."

Ginny nearly fell over at this news. "WHAT! He married her? That can't be, I would have known about it, she has to be lying." Ginny finished matter of factly.

"Oh no, Ron confirmed it…he is in fact married to Lavender Brown…which means that he…Oh no, that BASTARD!" Hermione jumped up with a sudden realization. Ron had told her that he was a virgin, that he lost himself to her. These facts hurt more than anything, too know that he has done nothing but lie to her over everything.

Hermione couldn't take it anymore, all the information was starting to sink in and her heart was breaking. Anger no longer mattered all she wanted to do was cry and be left alone to stew in her own mess. She fell to the floor and put her head in her hands.

Ginny knelt down beside her and patted her back. "I'm sorry Hermione, and I'm NOT taking Ron's side, but maybe there is more to this story, it's really not like Ron to lie…not like this anyway."

Hermione didn't respond, but instead continued to rub her forehead trying to think of everything that had just happened, the overwhelming logical part of her brain trying to think of an explanation for all of this. Perhaps Ginny was right, maybe there was more to the story, but Hermione had never felt such heartache like this, she didn't know what to do with herself. Her heart was fighting with her brain and it was causing her a major headache along with an overwhelming desire to just run.

Ginny could tell that Hermione was thinking over everything in her mind and just as she was going help Hermione get off the floor another knock came on the door.

"Go away Ron, now is not the time." Ginny said, still angry at her brother.

"It's me Ginny, I really think Hermione should hear what Ron has to say, it's not as bad as she thinks. Well, I mean it's bad, and Ron's an idiot, but it's not entirely bad." Harry said through the door.

Ginny couldn't help but smile at the hint of annoyance in Harry's voice, she could tell that he wasn't completely happy with Ron but she admired him for standing by his friend. "Hold on Harry, Hermione's not sure if she wants to talk to him yet."

Hermione stood up and wiped the tears from her face. She started pacing the room again trying to decide if she wanted to listen to Ron or not when the choice was made for her. Ron had used magic to knock the door down, causing drywall dust to fly everywhere. Ron walked over the door, now on the floor and pocketed his wand. He walked over to Hermione and put his hands on her shoulders, she instantly started crying again.

"Damn it Hermione, your going to listen to me because I can't loose you again." Ron said with power and anger in his eyes.

Harry and Ginny cleaned up the mess from the door, and placed it back on its hinges. "Well, we will just leave you alone." Harry said as he grabbed Ginny's hand.

"No Harry, I want to know how he is going to get his way out of this!" Ginny said while moving her hand away from Harry.

"I'll tell you, come on Ginny. See you later guys." Harry said and walked out the repaired door, dragging Ginny with him.

Hermione moved away from Ron and leaned against Ginny's desk. "Ron, this better be good." She folded her arms and scowled at him.

Ron took a deep breath and started to pace the room clearly choosing his words wisely. "Hermione, look I'm sorry I didn't tell you but you have to understand that I couldn't tell you."

"You couldn't tell me or you were afraid to?" Hermione asked.

Hermione could tell that Ron was trying to keep his voice calm, "I couldn't tell you, but I should have, I should have trusted you. You have to know that Lavender and I are working together."

"Working together on what? Are you both in that E.N.U. thing and trying to bringdown my organization?"

"Hermione would you please let me explain before you jump on me!" Ron said somewhat angrily. "No, I have nothing to do with E.N.U. We work together at the Ministry, she is also in auror training but she is on special assignment so she hasn't been able to tell anyone about her job."

"Ok, so what does her job have to do with you?" Hermione asked, her anger somewhat calming.

"Well, we were asked to be seen as a couple so we could learn some different methods of spying. We never actually dated; it was all a hoax until that part of our training was over."

"So how did you end up marring her then?" Hermione asked getting impatient.

"Lavender sorta got used to the idea of us being together and wanted us to date for real, she said she never got over me from Hogwarts. I went out with her one night, intending on telling her I wasn't interested in her and it ended up being the oddest date I have ever been on. I don't remember what happened, I think she did something to me."

"What do you mean she did something to you?"

Ron had stopped pacing, walked over to Hermione and looked her in the eyes. "We think she gave me a love potion, because the next thing I remember I was waking up in her apartment with a ring on my finger and so mad I couldn't stand it."

"Who's, we, who thinks she gave you a potion?" Hermione asked, concern starting to spread across her face.

"My boss and most of the auror's office, because I told them what happened, that she somehow tricked me into marring her. She was removed from her training and kicked out of the Ministry. Aurors are supposed to be trustworthy people and she isn't."

"Good I'm glad she got fired, but why did she start up E.N.U?" Hermione wondered.

Ron took another deep breath and went on, happy to see that Hermione calmed down. "Well, when I told her that I wanted a divorce and I would have never married her if I wasn't drugged, she got really mad. I made the mistake in telling her that I was in love with you, and suddenly her life's goal was destroy you."

"Why, so she could have you? Is she stupid, wouldn't that just make you hate her that much more" Hermione said.

"Well, you and me know that, but she's completely insane! She refused to give me a divorce and swore that she would have me." Ron gave an involuntary shudder. "Anyways, I was told at work to not tell anyone about this, even you because they thought that she was being possessed or something."

Hermione took her time to process all of this information before she spoke again. "Okay, Ron…say all of this is true, how are you going to divorce her?"

"I'm working on it, it's a lot more difficult when you have a crazy loon after you." Ron snickered.

"I have one more question Ron, the other day, you know…when you said that I was your first, how do you know that's true if Lavender drugged you?" Hermione asked while avoiding his eyes.

Ron smiled, took a few steps forward and wrapped his arms around her. "You'll just have to trust me that nothing happened with Lavender, you were my first and you will be my last." Ron leaned down and kissed her passionately. "Are you still made at me?"

"Yes I'm still mad, but now I have another problem." Hermione said.

"What's that?" Ron asked.

"How am I going to kill Lavender?" Hermione said with fire in her eyes.

A/N: Ooohh...now Hermione is pissed! What is she going to do? More coming soon!