Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K. Rowling.

Playing House

Chapter 16: The End of the Tunnel

Ron opened his eyes slowly and discovered that Hermione was no longer in bed with him. Getting up out of bed he began to search her in the house. A slight noise was coming from the guest room. He walked over and poked his head in. He felt a sinking feeling got him on the stomach across the scene facing him. Hermione was in the middle of the room, her wand in her hand, charming her stuff and placing them in her valise.

"Are you packing?" he asked, crestfallen.

"Yeah," answered Hermione, rasing her head to meet his gaze.

It had been one week since their last visit the Burrow. They were in the same house but the awkwardness between them was detectable. There was something incomplete, Ron knew that. They hadn't fought; they hadn't even spoken loudly to each other. But he felt like it wasn't enough anymore. He knew the solution very well though. However, he was waiting for the meeting. Thankfully, the owl that informed the meeting date had arrived two days ago.

"Well, what's the hurry for?" he asked.

"Ron I have a home you know that," Hermione reasoned.

"I know."

"Besides it's tomorrow, isn't it?" Hermione stated as Ron looked crestfallen. "My mission finished here. I've already stayed more than I intented."

"Well, I had thought we had fun," Ron stated with a touch of sadness behind his words.

"I didn't say it wasn't fun Ron, the fact that it was just a game!" reasoned Hermione, looking slightly nervous.

Ron sighed dramatically however Hermione remained determined and went back to packing. Ron didn't want her go.

"I've been thinking," he tried to distract her, approaching closer. "We should celebrate it, after the meeting. I mean after all these messes. What about a dinner? Tonight maybe?" He asked trying to be casual but inside him his heart was pounding madly. It was the time to mention about the dinner he had been planning for days.

"Oh, dinner," said Hermione, looking impressed. "That would be lovely, I guess. Do you want me to invite Harry and Ginny as well?" she asked eagerly.

"Oh no," Ron protested quickly. Hermione raised a curious eyebrow. "Well I thought we should celebrate it together, just two of us. We can invite them later, I suppose," he said, feeling his face healing up.

Hermione gave him an arch look but "all right," she said, cracking a smile.

That morning, the breakfast was silent. Ron felt a bit nervous but he tried his best not to make Hermione notice. Hermione kept asking where they were going to go for dinner. Ron did not want to reveal his secret, so he merely told her that he would inform her some time in the day via owl. Hermione seemed suspicious but did not argue about it.

"Are you excited?" she asked sympathetically, on the way of the door, before Ron left the house for Ministry.

"To tell te truth, yeah," Ron answered.

"Hermione," he called up her name before he stepped outside.

"You know it's all because of you. If you hadn't-" he started eagerly but Hermione interrupted quickly sensing his explanation.

"Please don't underestimate yourself," she begged. Ron beamed at her.

"I'll see you tonight," he stated.

"Yeah, I will be there," approved Hermione, smiling.

"Can I get my good bye kiss?" he asked tentatively.

Hermione scowled playfully but then she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Ron dashed out of the house. For the last week, he had been planning up this day. He had a couple of hours and he had a lot of work to do. It was all planned.

The first stop was jewelry. He chose apparating, as he didn't want to waste time. He went directly to the Diagonal Alley and entered the shop, which he had been observing for a long time.

"This one," he said to the salesman, indicating a ring in front of the shopwindow. It was a hexagon diamond ring, which Ron thought it would suit Hermione perfectly. He knew of course she had never been a materialistic person; she didn't care about girly stuff. But it was a marriage for Merlin's sake. At the idea of the word, he felt his hurt racing.

After choosing the ring, he went to the restaurant that Seamus Finnigan has been running since they graduated from Hogwarts. Being a muggle born wizard, he had chosen to run a restaurant in the middle of London. It was hidden behind a deserted hotel ruin, and had the most fantastic view. There was a joke between them; Seamus had suggested Ron that if one day he would like to propose someone, his restaurant would be open for him. At last, it was the certain day.

When Ron told Seamus that he would propose Hermione he didn't take the news very shocking actually.

They chose a table for two, in the terrace side of the restaurant, since the spring weather was lovely. It was a special table for lovesick couples with flower decoration. It was a bit showy for Hermione, but Ron knew she would like it. He wished he could do much more for her. But he was only capable of those.

Once in his life, he was doing something organised after all.

Afterwards, he went to twins' shop. Two days earlier, an inkling idea of using their inventions for the proposal, which they used for Bill and Fleur's wedding party, had crossed his mind. Feeling a bit humiliated, he had mentioned about his idea to the twins. Being joker by nature, they found the idea overwhelwing. Therefore he dropped over the shop to inform them that he decided to propose in the evening. He gave the adress of the place and they immediately began to prepare for the show. Ron prayed that they wouldn't have any mischievous idea on their minds.

Finally he bought a new suit for himself, spending the last Galleon in his pocket. Then he directly went to the Ministry.

When he arrived at the office, it was quite and silent.

"Has the meeting started?" he asked Julie who was sitting in her desk, in silence. Julie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they're calling us one by one. Now Scott is inside and then it'll be you," she explained.

"Good," Ron commented. He decided to send an owl to Hermione to inform the place of the dinner. After a nervous fifteen minutes waiting in silence, Scott appeared on the doorframe.

"They're waiting for you," he said to Ron, a knowing smirk on his face. Ron ignored his smirk, and without waiting any second he walked to the Kingsley' office.

After breathing a few times to relax, he knocked on the door gently and then stepped inside.

In the room, Hewlitt was at the head of the table, looking thoughtful and solemn. Kingley was seated across Hewlitt. He was drumming his fingers on the table. Apparently they were discussing something feverishly before Ron entered.

"Hello," Ron greeted them awkwardly.

Hewlitt nodded in greeting whereas Kingley indicated Ron to sit down. Ron felt his heart pounding madly.

After what felt like an eternity, Hewlitt cleared his throat loudly and opened the file in front of him. Ron watched him curiously. He looked at Kingsley but his expression seemed flat.

"Well, Mr. Weasley," Hewlitt started, raising his head from the file he had been examining, "as you know, for three weeks you and your colleagues have been under an inspection for a position in our team."

Ron nodded excitedly.

"It wasn't easy for us to choose one of you," Hewlit continued. "Obviously you're all precious people, I believe. And you all deserve good positions in your careers. After all, you passed several examinations for your current jobs."

Ron was getting slightly nervous because of his long explanation. He wanted him to end it up it at once. He shifted in his seat restlessly. Hewlitt might have noticed his uncomfortableness he continued quickly.

"Shortly, it wasn't easy for me to select one of you in such a short time. Therefore, to be completely fair and certain, I charged some of my members to spy on you."

Ron's heart skipped a beat at the statement. He glanced at Kingsley but he was looking down at his papers.

"Well, I've searched your file and," Hewlitt paused for a moment and opened the file yet again, "and briefly Mr. Weasley we've observed that you're not available for the position."

Ron felt sick.

"We had clearly stated that alcohol is absolutely inappropriate for the position. But according to the reports of Mr. Shews who had been positioned as a bartender informed me that you had been drinking excessively within inspection period," Mr. Hewlitt declared.

Ron felt his eyes blurred and he blushed a deep shade of red. How could he guess that the bartender was a spy for him? He cursed under his breath.

"And it doesn't finish here," Hewlitt continued, shaking his head.

"Mr. Bright, the new exchange team member in your office, reported me that you and your colleague Mrs. Julie had given the impression that you were involved in the office."

"No," Ron managed, his voice shaky.

"And finally marriage," Hewlitt went on shaking his head in disapproval.

"Bloody hell," murmured Ron under his breath.

"The most shocking one, I daresay," Hewlitt stared at Ron's eyes unbelievingly. "A couple of days ago somebody told me that you have never been married to Hermione Granger."

For a moment, Ron thought he was going to die from embarrassment.

"Who told you that may I learn?" he asked hoarsely.

Hewlitt and Kingsley shared a skeptical look.

"Mrs. Scott who works for Daily Prophet informed me that Hermione Granger had denied it all a few days ago."

Ron narrowed his eyes.

There was a terrible silent in the room.

"Do you have objections Mr. Weasley?" asked Hewlit after a minute.

Ron shook his head in helplessness. "No," he said slowly.

"Do you have explanation for these?"

"I-" Ron struggled. "I just wanted," he was feeling sick, "I wanted this job very much and," he could feel his cheeks blushing, "and I love her," he stated even though he knew this piece of information was extremely unnecessary. But at the moment, he felt like confessing.

Hewlitt pressed his lips and shook his head in disapproval. Kingsley spared him a look of pity.

"Actually Mr. Weasley this is nothing else but cheating," stated Hewlitt. "But since this inspection was my personal demand and it wasn't offical, you are not going to receive any legal punishment. It's now between you and your chief."

Ron raised his eyes to meet Kingsley' gaze. He looked rather disappointed.

"But I want to add that I find it rather odd that you applied to such a ridiculous idea," added Hewlitt trying to figure out Ron's intention.

But Ron merely swallowed and remained silent.

"You may leave now Mr. Weasley," Hewlitt stated, as he was sure that Ron wasn't going to speak.

Ron got to his feet quickly and sprinted out of the room, fuming. He made his way to the office and spotted Scott who was sitting peacefully in his desk.

"You," he leapt to him abruptly.

Scott jerked in terror.

"How dare you?" Ron roared. The other team members gathered around them quickly in amazement.

"Leave me alone," said Scott hoarsely as Ron began to squeeze his neck.

"How dare you and your wife interfere my life?" asked Ron, fuming.

However before he could kill him with his bare hands, someone pulled him back.

"Wisely Weasley," Scott snorted once he moved away from Ron, in panic. "Only you could come up with such a bright idea, I believe," he said.

Ron clenched his jaw. He could kill him easily and willingly but he knew that if he did, he would not only lose his current job, also he would go to the prison for destroying a hopeless git. So he tried to calm down as he started to wait for the results.

Half an hour later, Hewlitt and Kingley walked into the office.

"Mates, we've come here to explain the winner," Kingsley announced as they stood in the middle of the room. "I want to inform you that Mr. Hewlitt made a decision," he continued as people looked at him expectantly "lets's all congratulate Mr. Scott who is chosen for the position," he blurted out, trying to look pleased but Ron noticed the dissatisfied look on his face.

Scott got to his feet in excitement.

"Congratulations Mr. Scott," said Hewlitt as he expanded his hand to him. Scott grinned broadly.

Ron remained silent, feeling nauseous.

"Oh thank you Mr. Hewlitt, I'll try to be worthy your selection," Scott stated with an unnecessary tone of voice. A surge of desire to kill him got Ron on the blood.

He wouldn't take it anymore; he left the building without further ado.

"How I am supposed to look at Hermione now?" he thought gloomily once he was outside. He glanced at his watch. It was six p.m. In two hours, he was supposed to meet with Hermione. She would be waiting for him. And he was going to propose her, if everything had gone in order.

Now how he was going to work for Ministry? After what had happened in the office. "No way," Ron kept telling under his breath.

What about his family? How he was going to tell them that he couldn't make it.

As he walked on the streets aimlessly in frustration, he touched the little box in his pocket. "No, she doesn't deserve me," he said to himself. He desparetely wanted to be disappear.

It was getting dark. But all he could do was walking. For a moment, he had a half mind to go to the restaurant but his pride didn't let him go. He wasn't aware of where he had been. He merely marched down the streets one by one, feeling numb and totally wretched.

The last thing he remembered was a bright headlight of a Muggle car.

AN: Please don't hate me!

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