Dinner went about as poorly as expected. Well, worse this time around really. For the last five years Sunday dinners at the Burrow became a time to reconnect and find solace in those that were still left after the final battle, and there was a time where Ron looked forward to the opportunity to be around his family after everything they lost in the war. Work was overbearing, the world was still fucked up, but for a few hours a week he could escape from all of that with the people he loved. That of course changed several months ago when Hermione ended things.
Now Sunday night dinners were met with glares from his best friend and sister for breaking their friend's heart. His mother would spend the night fussing over him, asking when he was going to finally 'see things clearly' and make things right with her. Of course they assumed that if things had gone to shit it must have been his fault. It didn't matter how many times he reminded them that it was Hermione who did the leaving, they still all seemed to assume her empty seat must have been a result of some pigheaded action on his part.
So when Ron trudged through the door after work, still wearing his mudded auror robes, it was to a room full of tension and quiet mutterings. Bill, Charlie, Harry, and Ginny were situated on the couch, leaning over one another. George was sitting on the ground, bouncing his niece Victoire on his knee but still clearly engaged in whatever conversation was being had before Ron stepped in. He could almost hear the words that were surely hanging in the air only moments before, as he'd overheard them a few times before. "Abrasive" "Rude" "Not himself."
"No need to stop talking on my account" he tried to throw out lightly, but the words rang with a bitterness that no one missed.
"They still have you working day shifts then?" Charlie asked with an attempt at politeness, noting the dirtied robes Ron hadn't bothered to change from. The bags under his eyes added a clear sign that he still was adjusting to his new schedule change.
"Well spotted, what tipped you off?" Ron responded sarcastically. Everyone else appeared to be in their Sunday best. These dinners were meant to be something special for their mum, and only Ron (albeit recently) seemed to treat the experience as a chore rather than an opportunity to be with his family. Ron had tried a few times to completely stop going all together, but after a thorough tongue lashing from multiple of his siblings he realized not coming was somehow more trouble than suffering through the weekly ordeal. He had hoped as time went on his family would get over his dissolved marriage and things could return to something close to normal, but their seeming lack of understanding and sympathy to his situation just created an ongoing spiral of anger that he struggled to reel in.
Charlie sighed. "Ron no need to bite anyone's head off, you haven't even been here five minutes. Grab a drink, sit down, and try to keep it together just for tonight. If not for mum, at least for Harry and Ginny?"
Harry shifted uncomfortably in his seat at these words and started looking at the bottle in his hand with feigned interest. Ginny looked Ron straight on though with a challenge on her face. The new engagement band shined brightly from her finger in a mocking sort of way as Ron looked back. As if to add insult to injury, just three months after his own marriage blew up in his face Harry finally gave into the pressure around him and decided to take the next step with his sister. This decision created an unexpected rift between him and his best friend. Harry took this to be a projection of Ron's own failed love life, but for Ron it was something more. Not that he could let Harry know that. He hadn't exactly shared with anyone just how much Harry played into the final blowout that had ended things with Hermione.
"I'm not biting anyone's head off alright? I'm just tired from work. I'm more than happy to be here, alright?" Ron tried to add a smile for good measure but it came off as more of a grimace. The others shot him a look back. Was it annoyance? No, it looked closer to pity. That was worse. With a deep breath in, Ron rerouted himself towards the kitchen, away from the judgments and concerns of his siblings.
His mum and Fleur were situated in the kitchen preparing dinner. Percy, Audrey, and his father were wrapped up in a conversation at the table about some suspicious activity they had been hearing about in Italy.
"Well they were bound to start up again somewhere once the new laws began to take shape here" Percy was informing the rest, his glasses slightly askew as he emphatically continued with what had clearly been a long conversation. "We've made it quite clear that we no longer will be tolerating that nonsense in England."
"Yes, it was bound to happen" Arthur sighed, "still, it is worrying. Former death eater sympathizers banding together is a concern anywhere, not just on our soil."
"Yes, well they'd be quite foolish to think they could get away with bringing any of that rhetoric back here, not if my department has anything to say about it."
"Yeah Percy I'm sure they'd be right terrified of running into you. The fear of being strangled to death by your red tape is what keeps most death eaters awake at night I reckon."
Percy turned around in annoyance as Ron sat at the table and grabbed an unopened butterbeer. His father gave a start before offering a tired smile, clearly surprised by Ron's silent entry. Years of being with the aurors (not to mention his time on the run) caused Ron to learn to enter rooms quietly as a habit. This was something most of his rambunctious family still was getting used to.
Molly spun around at once "Ronnie! You made it just in time we were starting to wonder-" she stopped as her eyes narrowed in on his disheveled appearance. "Why are you still in your work robes? You're coated in mud!"
"I didn't really have time to change" Ron muttered back with embarrassment.
"You've really been working too much lately dear" Molly added gently, "If you don't start pulling back you're going to run yourself ragged. I take it Hermione didn't come with you tonight? I sent her an owl inviting her by, but she said she was busy. Still, I had hoped…"
Ron rolled his eyes. Three months later his mum still acted shocked that his soon to be ex wife wasn't interested in coming to family dinners. Her avoidance of all things Weasley didn't help Ron's case that things ended on amicable terms, and his refusal to explain what led to the ultimate end of things only made things more complicated. As far as the family was concerned, Hermione was there one week, then gone the next without a word of explanation. That of course didn't stop the Weasley clan from trying to figure out what had happened through any means necessary. Though he appreciated Hermione's silence through the whole ordeal, he really did wish she had at least backed him up in that there were no hard feelings. Still, considering the circumstances, he couldn't really be surprised.
"Ron? Ron!"
"Sorry, what?" He had been staring into his drink lost in thought. Looking up he saw everyone in the kitchen facing him with concerned looks.
"I asked if you had requested time off for the wedding yet. I know with your position you need to give quite a bit of notice" his mother said.
"No, I just found out about it this week like the rest of you. It hasn't exactly been my first priority" he shot back with an annoyed tone the family was unfortunately becoming more and more familiar with. Molly pursed her lips, clearly ready to begin a well prepared argument.
"Well I should think you would want it to be a priority! This is your sister and your best friend, you'd think you'd want to give your full support! Harry told me when he told you you couldn't even muster up a congratulations and excused yourself from the room! Now I understand things have been difficult for you since whatever happened with Hermione, but your mistakes in your own love life have no-"
"What the hell do you mean 'my mistakes'? Why does everyone assume that I'm the one who fucked things up, every time something goes wrong? Did you think for a moment that maybe Hermione did something to me! That maybe I'm the one hurt by this!" Ron slammed his hand on the table to emphasize the final word before standing up to leave the kitchen. He heard nothing but silence coming from the living room, telling him that the rest of the family was listening in as well.
"Ron, please do not shout at your mother, she's only concerned-" his dad began with a sigh, clearly wary of the start of another kitchen table fight between the two.
"Concerned about Harry and Ginny, not me! This is why I hate coming over here!" Molly stood her ground but seemed to sag at these words. "I'm so sick of things going back over and over again to my lack of a relationship. If you're all so concerned for Hermione then go bother her about this, I'm tired of hearing about it!"
"Might help if you actually let us know what was going on instead of biting our heads off every time we mention her name then mate." Harry and Ginny had entered the kitchen just then, clearly to try to head off the argument ensuing.
"Maybe if it was your business I would" Ron growled out harshly. For a few moments no one spoke.
"Right then, thanks for having me over as always Mum. I'm heading out." Ron turned to start walking towards the garden door but was headed off by his mother.
"Ron, please don't do this today. I understand you're angry but this really isn't the time." Her voice shook slightly. Ron's shoulders slumped and for a moment it looked as if he was going to listen to her words.
"Don't bother mum. If he doesn't want to be here he doesn't have to be. Just leave then Ron, that's what you always do, isn't it?" Ginny shouted, tears in her eyes. Ron looked as if he wanted to say something back, but a slight feeling of shame started to creep upon him as he saw the looks of disappointment on the faces of everyone before him. Instead, he turned away in a huff and walked out the door. Deciding to take solace in work, the only place that didn't remind him of everything going bollocks up in his life, he apparated straight back to the ministry.
Well, he thought glumly, at least I'm still dressed for the office.